Dubai: The UAE aims to rival China in the bid to host this year’s Italian Super Cup between Lazio and Juventus, according to the Italian press.
The Supercoppa Italiana is the traditional season curtain-raiser between the winners of Serie A and the Italian Cup.
It has been played outside Italy on six occasions since its inception in 1988, with two finals in the USA, one in Libya and three in China.
Beijing were due to continue to host the event, which was initially set to be played at the Birds Nest Stadium on August 10, however there are now reports that the UAE have offered to host the final in December. A meeting to decide the venue will be held on Monday.
The Football Italia website said that Juventus would be more inclined to play in Italy as they have a pre-season tour of North America, while Lazio are determined to play in China due to its marketing and sponsorship potential.
Possible UAE venues include Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium, which can hold 60,000 spectators, while Dubai’s Sevens Stadium can hold 50,000. The Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing holds 80,000.
