Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal to hand Juventus their first trophy of the season with a 1-0 win over ten-man AC Milan in the Italian Super Cup on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia. With painted faces and banners, thousands of female soccer fans entered the King Abdullah Sports City stadium through designated turnstiles for “families”, with solo women barred from purchasing tickets.
Italian Supercup
Ronaldo seals Italian Super Cup for Juventus
Italian football league president Gaetano Micciche hailed the match as a success, with reports there were up to 15,000 women among the 62,000 crowd in the stadium
Women throng Saudi stadium for Italian Super Cup amid controversy
Serie A president Gaetano Micciche said the match would down in history as the first international competition that Saudi women were allowed to watch in a stadium
In pictures: Female soccer fans in Saudi Arabia attend Juventus training session
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus target their first title of 2019 in the Italian Super Cup today against a backdrop of controversy and protests over human rights issues and ticket restrictions imposed on female fans by hosts Saudi Arabia. The one-off match is normally between the reigning Serie A and Italian Cup champions. As Juventus won both trophies last season they will take on AC Milan, the losing Cup finalists, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
In pictures: Italian football club AC Milan arrive in Jeddah ahead of the Super Cup clash
Saudi Arabia will host the Italian Super Cup between AC Milan and Juventus at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. This much-awaited game by football fans all over the world is one of the most important sport events and activities being hosted and organized by General Sports Authority at various stadiums in the Kingdom’s regions and governorates in line with the Kingdom’s vision 2030.
Saudi female fan ban at Italian Supercup sparks row
Italian Supercup will be played between Juventus and AC Milan on January 16 at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Riyadh