Serie A season starts as dispute ends

Udinese look to secure more Champions League action after Arsenal kicked them out of this year’s contest [GETTY]

The Italian League and Players’ Union (AIC) has called off a player strike after reaching an agreement on Monday over a collective contract, meaning the new Serie A season will begin on Friday.

The warring factions have agreed a temporary deal that will expire at the end of the season but will at least allow the campaign to begin after the first round of matches just over a week ago was called off.

The new Serie A season will therefore kick off on Friday night with champions AC Milan hosting Lazio.

“It was worth having such a tough negotiation because the clubs have achieved much of what they wanted,” league chief Maurizio Beretta told Italian news agency Ansa.

“We’re going to play and I think that’s thanks to the players for their good sense in these negotiations” AIC president Damiano Tommasi

It is only a temporary agreement, however, designed to allow the football season to begin while the two parties continued to debate the two major sticking points.

The first relates to the payment of a solidarity tax, which the players have now agreed to pay themselves, and the second is connected to the fate of players who are forced to train on their own when dropped from their club’s squad.

Although agreement has temporarily been reached, AIC president Damiano Tommasi said it was thanks in most part to the players for compromising.

“We’re going to play and I think that’s thanks to the players for their good sense in these negotiations,” he said.

“If, as Beretta has said, the clubs have achieved a lot then it means we won’t have much to discuss for the new contract that will replace this bridging deal.”