Giovanni Carnevali, the CEO of Sassuolo, recently shared his views on various Serie A topics during an interview with Rai Gr Parlamento. He addressed the ongoing debate about the number of teams in the league, stating, “Often there`s discussion about whether the league should have 18 or 20 clubs, but I don`t believe that`s the real problem.”
Carnevali pointed to the expanded European competitions as a significant factor. “This year, the Champions League format has significantly increased the number of matches, which penalizes participating teams by making it harder for them to compete domestically,” he explained. He questioned whether this added burden presents a preparation issue. “That remains to be seen,” he added, “as this is the first season teams are navigating a Champions League with such a packed schedule.”
The Sassuolo executive also commented on the possibility of Roberto De Zerbi returning to Italy. Carnevali made a public appeal: “I sincerely hope he comes back, just to have him coaching near us. Now would be the perfect time and opportunity for one of the big clubs to sign him.”