The idea of taking the national championship abroad has been sharply criticized by players.

AC Milan captain and goalkeeper Mike Maignan voiced strong opposition to the plan of moving a Serie A match to Australia, stating that football is losing its true nature due to financial pursuits.

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan, captain of AC Milan, has strongly condemned the plan to host the club’s home match in Perth, Australia, calling it a mistake driven by money and contrary to the sporting values of Serie A.

During a press conference while joining the French national team, Maignan said he “completely agrees” with Adrien Rabiot’s opinion, who had called the idea “completely crazy.” The 27-year-old goalkeeper emphasized: “I don’t understand why we have to play abroad. Nowadays, everything is controlled by money. This is the Italian championship, so why bring it somewhere else? We even lose the home advantage, while our goal is to win every match.”

Previously, AC Milan midfielder Rabiot also expressed dissatisfaction when Serie A planned to move a match between two Italian teams to a location over 13,000 km away. “It’s crazy to fly halfway around the world just to play a match in Australia. People talk a lot about protecting players’ fitness, yet they do such irrational things,” Rabiot said.

In response to the wave of opposition, Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo fired back, saying players need to “understand the value of the money they receive.” He stated: “Players like Rabiot and Maignan are paid millions of Euros to play. They should respect their obligations to their clubs and Serie A. Traveling long distances is a challenge, but they fly business class and receive good care. It’s a fair trade-off to help the league grow.”

According to Italian media, the deal to take AC Milan’s match to Perth is worth around 12 million Euros, with most of the money intended to compensate for revenue lost at San Siro stadium. UEFA gave preliminary approval to this plan on October 6, and it is now awaiting FIFA and the Australian Football Federation’s endorsement.

However, strong criticism from key players has sparked fierce backlash against the plan. If approved, it would mark the first time in Serie A history that an official league match is held outside Italy.