Qatar to stage Italian SuperCup

The Italian SuperCup final between league champions Juventus and beaten Cup finalists AC Milan will be held in Qatar for the second time this December, Serie A officials announced on Friday.

Napoli beat Juventus on penalties at Doha's Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in 2014 and an agreement has been signed between both parties that will see the SuperCup played on foreign soil for the ninth time.

Serie A president Maurizio Beretta said: "We're proud that (2022 World Cup hosts) Qatar has shown such an interest in hosting the SuperCup.

"Qatar has shown it has the capacity, passion and hospitality to host one of the top games in Italian football in the best way possible."

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalida Al Thani, president of the Qatar Football Association, said: "We're delighted to host Juventus and Milan, two of the most famous Italian football clubs, and to see them challenge for the SuperCup in front of thousands of fans who will come from all over the world."

The SuperCup is traditionally contested by the league champions and Cup winners.

But since Juventus beat Milan in the 2016 Cup final to secure a second successive league and Cup double, the Rossoneri get the chance to make amends.

In December 2015, Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala struck as Juventus beat Lazio 2-0 in front of 30,000 fans at Shanghai Stadium to win their 10th SuperCup trophy.

Source: AFP