Players´ Union calls off Serie A strike

The Italian Footballer’s Union (Aic) has officially called off this weekend’s proposed strike by Serie A players.

Earlier Juventus’s lawyer Michele Briamonte, who was representing the Italian Football League in negotiations with the Players’ Union, had already claimed the strike was unlikely to go ahead.

The different parties had been meeting this week to try to find common ground in a collective contract deal to stave off the possibility of a player strike.

Speaking after a meeting in Rome on Thursday, Briamonte had said that the strike was as good as off.

“The text of the new collective agreement is practically written, there only remain a few details,” he said.

“Agreement between the parties had already been reached on Tuesday.”

Asked directly by reporters if the strike was off, he said: “Yes, definitely. I’d be stunned if it wasn’t the case.”

That was backed up by the Football League’s lawyer, Ruggero Stincardini, who added: “We’ve practically written everything, all that remains is little questions on federal limits.”

Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete had called a meeting on Tuesday between the Football League and Players’ Union representatives to try to find a solution to the ongoing impasse.

Serie A players and clubs were at odds over a proposed collective agreement that would give clubs the power to force players to accept a transfer in the final year of their contracts.

Last week the Players’ Union announced that Serie A footballers would strike this weekend as no consensus had been reached.