ITALIAN soccer stadiums were silent yesterday as the league endured an unprecedented strike. The players, among their ranks some of the world's wealthiest and most famous, were adhering to a strike called by the players union which wants more say in the running of the game and is protesting over a range of issues.
In a desperate bid to stave off the strike, which will cost millions of dollars in lost revenue, the soccer federation offered a package of concessions during the week. They included admitting the leaders of the players' and coaches unions to the sport's ruling body as well as topping up a, guarantee fund that ensures players receive their salaries even if their club goes bankrupt.
The offer was rejected, however, by players' union leader Sergio Campana who threatened a more prolonged strike, along the lines of a 1994 US baseball lock out.
An opinion poll published on, Sunday showed that just 3.6 per cent of the country was unaware the strike was happening but only 47.9 per cent knew why there was no soccer. Of those who did know, 53.7 per cent were in favour, although one group of fans met in the same Milan hotel where the strike was confirmed and threatened to strike as well.
Italian newspapers were filled with letters from angry fans. Only the amateur leagues and professional serie C2, the equivalent of the English fourth division, played yesterday.
In Spain, where a full programme went ahead as normal, a superb header by Kiko Narvaez gave Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at lowly Merida which kept the Spanish league leaders eight points ahead of Barcelona.
Barcelona beat Compostela 1-0 on Saturday and third placed Valencia, who are a further two points back on 58, won by the same score in their visit to Athletic Bilbao.
Atletico Madrid took three points home from Merida despite playing one of their worst games of the season on a pitch which made controlled play impossible. In the 59th minute, international striker Kiko outjumped the Merida defence to head home a cross from winger Milinko Pantic.
"It was an even game, the pitch was not good for us because we like to play with the ball." Atletico's Serbian coach Radomir Antic said. Another Serbian coach, Dragoslav Stepanovic, appeared to have his days in charge at Athletic Bilbao numbered after the club board called a special meeting following Atletic's defeat at home to Valencia.
Some 40,000 Athletic fans booed and whistled both the referee and club officials at the end of a game in which their side had two goals disallowed for offside. Athletic have not scored at home since January 3rd.
Four points behind Valencia are Espanyol, whose own title challenge ground to a halt in the first half of their game at Celta Vigo, who won 4-2 after going in at the break 4-0 up. Real Betis moved up to fifth, ahead of Compostela, with an emphatic 4-0 win over bottom club Salamanca, Tenerife, also boosted their challenge for a UEFA Cup place next season by winning 3-1 at Oviedo, which left them seventh.
Champions Real Madrid are eighth after beating Albacete 2-0 in a poor game, played on Saturday. Real lost goalkeeper Paco Buyo and Argentine playmaker Fernando Redondo through injury ahead of Wednesday's European Cup quarter final second leg against Juventus in Italy.
Brazilian World Cup striker Bebeto celebrated his return to the Deportivo Coruna line up with a fine goal in a 3-2 victory over Sevilla. Sevilla's Croatian player Davor Suker, who joins Real Madrid next season, also found the target with a superb goal direct from a corner.
In Holland, Ajax were held to a goalless draw by bottom of the table Volendam yesterday, failing to take advantage of PSV Eindhoven's draw with Utrecht on Saturday. Ajax had the chance to open up a four point lead on second placed Eindhoven, the only other team in with a chance of the title, but never hit their best form in an uninspiring game. With nine matches to play Ajax lead the standings by two points.
Despite being in control for most of the match, Ajax failed to take their chances and striker Patrick Kluivert gave a hint of what was to follow when he should have put them ahead after 15 minutes, but missed the target.
Third placed Feyenoord Rotterdam had little more success against lowly De Graafschap, drawing 1-1. De Graafschap, stuck in the relegation zone. took the lead in the 21st minute through midfielder Rene van de Brink, but a cross from Feyenoord striker Gaston Taument, deftly sunk by Henk Vos, pulled Feyenoord level after 66 minutes.
