Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis Calls for Drastic Changes in Football
Gerard Piqué and Andrea Agnelli do not have the monopoly on crazy ideas to modernize football. Former FC Barcelona defender, known for shaking up tennis with the Davis Cup revamp, has created the Kings League to cater to the needs of the new generation, who allegedly struggle to stay focused for 90 minutes during a football match. The former Juventus president even once suggested “a subscription for 15 minutes of a match.”
Aurelio De Laurentiis apparently shares the same observation as the former Barcelona player, a three-time winner of the Champions League. In a lengthy interview with The Athletic, the Napoli president advocates for a drastic change in the rules, warning of a potential mass exodus of spectators from stadiums and TV screens if changes are not made to attract younger fans to football.
“50-Minute Matches”
“When we say that matches and stoppages are too long, it’s a problem and it’s true,” explains Aurelio De Laurentiis in an interview where he proposes a radical solution. He suggests reducing each half from 45 to 25 minutes. In this 50-minute match, playing time will be strictly measured, without referees adding extra time for stoppages at the end of each half. The Napoli president, also a major film producer, doesn’t stop there.
He advocates for the abolishment of yellow cards, replacing them with temporary player exits for fouls, similar to rugby. Additionally, he calls for a overhaul of the offside rule to allow for more goals. “We need to score more goals. And to score more goals, we need to change the rules,” declares De Laurentiis. He believes the offside rule needs a significant revision. On this issue, FIFA seems to agree with the Napoli president, in line with the Wenger Law.
