The Bundesliga would never consider playing matches overseas like the Premier League because it would not want to alienate fans who watch their teams "through rain and shine," chief executive Christian Seifert said on Wednesday. Seifert told delegates at the Leaders in Sport Summit at Chelsea's stadium they would never have a "35th" game overseas -- similar to the Premier League's infamous "39th" which is back on the agenda after seemingly being ditched six years ago. "With 18 clubs (playing 34 league games) it would be hard to have a 35th game," he said. "We have a completely different approach to our concept for German football. It would be against our understanding of how the fans should be treated. "Maybe for financial reasons it would appear to be a good idea but think of the supporters who go to 34 games in all conditions, no matter the wind or the rain or the weather, and the travelling they do. "Then their club comes to a game which decides whether it will be relegated or not - and they cannot be there because it's in Thailand -- that would not be an approach for the Bundesliga," he said. His comments come after news emerged on Tuesday that the chairmen of England's 20 top-flight clubs discussed plans for playing overseas at their most recent meeting and, although no firm decisions have been taken, Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins said matches could be played abroad "within two years". Plans for a 39th game were dropped in 2008 following widespread opposition from fans' groups as well as soccer's world governing body FIFA and European ruling body UEFA. Seifert said he was not convinced FIFA would sanction the idea but it would not be something German clubs would consider. "I think it's a creative idea, I'm not sure it would work with FIFA. We have a completely different approach about our idea of German football anyway," he said. However, the idea of playing domestic matches abroad is not going away entirely. Many top European clubs play pre-season tournaments abroad while on Monday Serie A confirmed the Italian Super Cup match between Juventus and Napoli will be played in Qatar on Dec. 22. (For more sports news and updates, follow AhramOnline Sports on Twitter at@AO_Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/112617.aspx
