Serie A side Napoli Owner Aurelio De Laurentiis "has taken over troubled former Serie A club Bari" after it was relegated to the Italian league's fourth tier "over financial difficulties," according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. Bari finished seventh in Serie B last season and qualified for the promotion playoffs. But it was refused a license last month for next season and "forced to restart in Serie D, the highest of the amateur leagues." On Tuesday, Bari Mayor Antonio Decaro "offered the ownership of the club to De Laurentiis ahead of 10 other candidates." De Laurentiis said that his son Luigi will be "responsible for the club" (REUTERS, 8/1).
EASTWARD EXPANSION: INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL's Paul Nicholson reported Inter Milan launched another of its Inter Academy projects in China, this time in Hong Kong, "taking the number of Chinese academies to seven." The Hong Kong initiative is the result of a "strategic agreement" between the club, its owner, Suning Sports Group, and Man Lap Int'l Sports Group. The Hong Kong Inter Academy joins similar academies in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, as well as in Nanjing, in the province of Jiangsu, "which is being further expanded" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 8/1).
