Harry Redknapp’s injury-hit side face a tough trip to Werder Bremen in the Champions League on Tuesday – best big match betting here.

The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) remains confident a proposed player strike in Serie A will be averted.

The matches scheduled to be played on 25th and 26th September are under threat after the Italian Players’ Association (AIC) announced last week that players would not be involved.

The dispute centres around a contract regarding players’ rights, but FIGC president Giancarlo Abete expects the strike to be called off soon.

“An agreement will be found and I believe, in the last few hours, there have been positive signs to call off the strike and allow play to go ahead,” he told reporters.

“We hope it will be a positive meeting, we’re looking for a maximum taking of responsibility and most of all shared availability.”

Abete said he understood why the players’ union made the call to strike but feels that the best course of action would be to discuss the matter reasonably.

“I believe it was the right time to talk about this, the important thing is to work to end the strike and to ensure play goes on as normal,” he added.

The dispute revolves around the clubs insistence that players who are in the final year of their contracts must accept a transfer to another, equally competitive club, provided the new club matches the player’s existing contract.

If the player disagrees, he must buy out the final year of his contract at 50 per cent of its worth.

Players refuse to sign such an agreement but the Football League president Maurizio Beretta is hopeful.

“You have to remain optimistic, there’s room to understand each other and find an agreement,” he said.

“The principle of our proposal is to ensure the sustainability of our economic system.

“It’s Uefa themselves who suggested it.

“Of course the proposed strike doesn’t help the negotiations but I’m convinced the situation will improve.”

Players’ boss Sergio Campana, however, defended his members’ actions.

“We’re the only union which doesn’t ask for money, our players have put themselves at the service of everyone to guarantee that is safeguarded,” he said.

Harry Redknapp’s injury-hit side face a tough trip to Werder Bremen in the Champions League on Tuesday – best big match betting here.

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