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Rabiot SLAMS decision to play league matches outside Europe
Carlo Garganese
- Updated: 8 Oct 2025 09:39 BST
- 3 min read
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AC Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot has blasted the decision to play domestic league matches abroad.
There was huge controversy this week when UEFA announced that - for the first time in history - they had given the green light for two domestic matches to be played outside of their country.
The two matches in question are Villarreal versus Barcelona in La Liga, which will be held in Miami in December, and Serie A's AC Milan vs Como in Perth, Australia in February.
Rabiot slams decision to play games abroad
And Rabiot called the decision to play these games abroad "completely mad", highlighting how footballers already play too many games and have a packed calendar.
“I was surprised when I heard that Milan will play a Serie A match against Como in Australia! It’s completely mad,” Rabiot told Le Figaro.
“These are financial agreements to give visibility to the league, so it’s over our heads. There is so much talk about fixture lists and maintaining the health of the players, but it all seems absurd. It’s crazy to travel that far for a game between two Italian teams in Australia. We just have to adapt, as always.”
Rabiot joined Milan this summer from Marseille and has been outstanding in the early weeks of the season, leading the Rossoneri to third in the table and only two points behind Napoli and Roma at the top.
The Frenchman has formed an excellent partnership in midfield with Croatia legend Luka Modric, who has taken Serie A by storm despite recently turning 40.
“He really amazed me," Rabiot said.
"I see him training with such precision, professionalism, intensity and effort at age 40, it’s just remarkable.
"He’s humble, dedicated, always gives 100 per cent. When I see what he can do and he’s 10 years older than me, he leaves me speechless.”
Rabiot is currently on France national team duty, with Les Bleus playing Azerbaijan and Iceland in World Cup qualifying over the next days.
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