Spezia became the fifth Serie A club under American ownership (after AC Milan, Fiorentina, Roma, and Parma) when it was bought by the Platek family on Thursday.
American investor Robert Platek and his family, who are from New York, took over from Italian entrepreneur Gabriele Volpi.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Spezia Calcio,” the family said in a statement. “Serie A football is in an elite class of its own, and it has been our long-held ambition to find the right opportunity to partner with a special club in Italy. ... We are humbled by this opportunity to become stewards of the club. As a family, we are proud to play a small role in helping the team to grow, achieve further success and make the fans proud.”
Spezia Calcio is set to host AC Milan tomorrow in Serie A matchday 22. The match will be an interesting one because the two clubs are now managed by powerful American owners.
Many sports outlets and media called tomorrow's match a "derby" between both ownerships, with the headline of "America is watching."
