During the past few decades, Italian football has rarely acted as a pioneer in terms of introducing new ideas to the sport. Nevertheless, Lega Serie A has decided to adopt an unusual concept that could be a gamechanger in league battles. In the case where the top two sides are tied on points after the final round of the season, the Scudetto winning team will be determined by a playoff clash rather than reverting to the previous head-to-head encounters.
Reminiscent to any other new concept in Calcio, the decision has stirred some controversy, with supporters flocking to support the cause and detractors chastising the idea.
Perhaps both sides have valid points, so let’s try to elaborate on some of the pros and cons of the Scudetto playoff.
Pro #1: More Action
What could be better than 380 Serie A fixtures? Of course 381 Serie A matches! Especially when the last fixture is worth an entire campaign.
For us Calcio fanatics, the off-season (which we’re currently experiencing) is the dullest part of the year. So extending the campaign with an additional week crowned by a winner-takes-it-all clash can only be good news for action-thirsty fans.
Con #1: Tight Schedule
One of the major problems that plague modern football in general is the over-packed schedule which is slowly but surely taking its all on the players’ bodies.
Therefore, extending the campaign further (even if it’s only for one match) can have a negative effect on the athletes who are physically and mentally exhausted at the of the season, not to mention that some of them could be set to join their national team camps at the beginning of June.
Pro #2: Additional Exposure
This might be a publicity stunt from the league’s part, but these events can be fruitful in the right circumstances.
As we all know by know, Serie A is trailing behind the English Premier League and possibly La Liga in terms of popularity, but football fans love dramatic endings, and what could be more intriguing than a Scudetto title decided by a direct clash between the top two sides?
Con #2: Defying League Concept
As we all know, league competitions possess a unique concept. While domestic cups, continental competitions and and international tournaments are all decided by playoffs, winning the league is all about gathering the biggest tally of points throughout the course of the campaign, meaning that all fixtures equally matter.
Therefore, introducing a playoff means stripping the league out its special textile and rendering it similar to every other competition where the winner is determined by a final.
Pro #3: Uncontested Champions
If two teams finish level on points, why should a winner be crowned simply based on head-to-head results? After all, all league matches should be equally important as we mentioned above.
What if the other team has a significantly better goal difference? Shouldn’t that count for something?
Well, forcing the two sides to fight it out on the pitch one last time makes sense in this regard. Because once the dust is settled, we’ll be able to crown a winner with an uncontested claim to the throne.
Conclusion
While one would be able to forge a strong case for and against the Scudetto playoffs, it appears that the pros slightly outweigh the cons.
But then again, the top two teams rarely ever finish level on points, so it remains to be seen if and when would we be able to experience the fascinating new concept.