2023 left one last (bad) news for Italian football. After a heated Council of Ministers, the Government of the transalpine country decided eliminate the extension of the ‘Crescita Decree’ for the world of sports. That included football… and Serie A. That is, the cancellation of the tax reduction that allowed clubs to save 50% of the taxes paid by a footballer arriving from abroad. A crucial measure to bring in talent from outside. The Italian ‘Beckham law’. With its end, there have been many voices that have cried out from the clubs against the measure… predicting a terrible future for ‘Calcio’.
But it should be made clear that Only signings who arrived in Italy after spending two or more years with their tax residence outside the country could benefit from this measure… and who signed a contract of two years or more in Italy. If they renewed in the future, the measure would be maintained.
As an example, to clarify it, we will put two Inter players with the same net salary… but different costs for the club since this measure applied to one… and not to the other.
Lautaro Martínez (without Crescita Decree) – 6 million net salary and 11.1 million gross total cost Marcus Thuram (with Decree Grown) – 6 million net salary and 7.9 million gross total cost
Thuram celebrating a goal with Inter.
As of yesterday, January 1, the measure disappeared for the future: No movement from this January market or future transfer windows will benefit from the now defunct Crescita Decree.
The clubs, in rebellion
“Only in Italy can a law like the Crescita Decree be changed overnight without there having been a meeting or a discussion table with those directly involved, such as the clubs,” declared Furlani, CEO of Milan, upon learning of the news. Weeks before he had publicly commented that “without the Crescita Decree it would be the destruction of Italian football.”
Without Crescita Decree it would be the destruction of Italian football
Furlani, CEO of Milan
In the other about Milan, Inter was positioned on the same side as its rivals. Here everyone rows in the same direction. “It doesn’t just concern the players but also the coaches, like Mourinho. If today we want to bring De Zerbi back, without the Crescita Decree we could not do it taking into account what they earn there, in the Premier,” defended Marotta, Furlani’s counterpart at Inter.
It’s an own goal. Surely the strategies of the clubs will change, there will be an impoverishment in terms of quality
Marotta, CEO of Inter
“It’s an own goal. Surely the clubs’ strategies will change, there will be an impoverishment in terms of quality,” he added. And they, Milan, Roma, Napoli, Juventus… they have all taken advantage and saved many millions. The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, who earned 50 million gross each season in Turin, was the first big movement covered by this law.
Influence of the Crescita Drecreto on Calcio salaries.
But there are those who are in favor of elimination. The politicians of the Meloni Government, of course. They are the ones who have taken the controversial measure. “It would be immoral” not to eliminate it, is the defense of Salvini, vice president. At the same time, he says that it is a help and recognition to the Italian quarries. The Association of Italian Footballers defends this position and advocates because The Crescita Decree was “discrimination” against the Italian player.
And he is right, in part. The measure does not go against repatriating Italian players to ‘Calcio’ (Donnarumma, for example, would have benefited from this) but it does had caused many clubs to sign more in the foreign market than in the national market… since it is cheaper in the long term. Serie A teams, in fact, saved 140 million euros in taxes last year.
However, there are few voices in favor… and many more who are against. “Juventus, Milan and Roma are destroyed without the Crescita Decree. It is not good because the State does not collect the money. If you have a foreigner who pays taxes in Italy, it will be better than someone who does not come and does not pay them, right?” says Lotito, who is a senator for the conservative Forza Italia (part of the Government) and at the same time owner of the Lazio. “It won’t affect us that much because we have a lot of young players,” Allegri defends from Juventus.
Juventus, Milan and Roma are destroyed without the Crescita Decree. It is not good because the State does not collect the money
Lotito, owner of Lazio
Allegri (Juventus) and Mourinho (Roma) during a match.
“Whoever eliminated the Crescita Decree believes he did well but in reality he has lowered the level of Italian football. Let’s not forget the academies: we invest in our young people and at 16 they go abroad because of these rules that we have,” adds Carnevali from Sassuolo.
Whoever eliminated the Crescita Decree believes he did well but in reality he has lowered the level of Italian football
Carnevali, CEO of Sassuolo
In short, a schism that has divided Italy and its football just a few months after reaching three European finals. The ‘Calcio’ against the ‘Calcio’ itself.
2024-01-02 04:54:25
#destruction #Italian #football
