Wolves are now favourites to be relegated from the Premiership after slumping to a 3-0 defeat at Blackburn

Serie A fixtures are expected to go ahead this weekend after talks to avert a players’ strike were described as ”positive” by the league’s president, Maurizio Beretta.

The row revolves around a collective bargaining contract between the Italian Players’ Association (AIC) and Serie A, which expired in the summer.

The players are unhappy at a clause which would enable clubs to force those eployees with a year left on their contract to accept moves to teams of equal standing, and also one which would force a player out of the first-team squad if they were surplus to requirements.

Beretta and the AIC held discussions on Tuesday to stop the strike going ahead and, after a seven-hour meeting, Beretta said: “We are one step away from reaching an agreement for the new collective contract.

“It has been a very positive meeting and I think it’s very likely that the strike will be called off. Finally, we have tackled the issues and we are in agreement on six points.

“The seventh point, that in relation to players out of squad, we are still trying to find a solution that does not give way to discrimination and that also includes punishments in case it is violated.”

Wolves are now favourites to be relegated from the Premiership after slumping to a 3-0 defeat at Blackburn

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