Despite previous reports suggesting the match was unlikely to proceed due to strict conditions set by the Asian Football Confederation, Simonelli has confirmed that all obstacles are now effectively resolved. The main hurdle involved the mandatory appointment of Asian referees, a requirement Serie A initially considered impractical given their reliance on Italian officials.
However, fears were alleviated after conversations with FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina, who personally guaranteed the quality of specific Asian officials. Consequently, the Milan-Como fixture, displaced from its original February 8 date because the San Siro is hosting the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony, will now go ahead.
UEFA had reluctantly authorized this overseas Serie A match last October in a ruling that simultaneously covered LaLiga's controversial plan to host a Barcelona match against Villarreal in Miami. Unlike the Italian fixture, however, the Spanish initiative was recently cancelled following intense domestic opposition from various local stakeholders.