The Italian newspaper “La Gazzetta dello Sport,” in a report published yesterday, stated that the city of Benghazi in eastern Libya is witnessing an unprecedented sporting event: a friendly match between Italy’s Inter Milan and Spain’s Atlético Madrid as part of the “Reconstruction Cup,” organized by the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund.
The newspaper clarified that this confrontation is the first of its kind on Libyan soil, as a match between two major European clubs has never been held in Libya before. It noted that the trip involved the two teams traveling from Europe to Benghazi and returning on the same day without any prior hotel stays, in an experience the newspaper described as “the most intense and surreal” in modern football.
“La Gazzetta dello Sport” added that the match is being held at the Benghazi International Stadium, which was renovated to accommodate more than 41,000 spectators. It pointed out that this event is part of a political and economic initiative aimed at enhancing Libya’s international image and highlighting its security stability, under the supervision of Belkacem Haftar, son of the General Commander of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
The Italian newspaper described the use of sports in this context as part of a strategy to rebuild political legitimacy and international openness after years of division, noting that Benghazi, which was a theater of fighting, has now become a destination for international clubs.
Technically, the newspaper indicated that Inter Milan played the match with a lineup dominated by reserves due to several of their stars joining their national teams. The roster included Bebo Martinez, Di Gennaro, Bisseck, Palacios, Acerbi, Darmian, Luiz Henrique, Mkhitaryan, Diouf, and Boni, while goalkeeper Yann Sommer was absent due to a sudden bout of flu.
As for Atlético Madrid, who participated as a last-minute replacement for Barcelona, they entered the match led by their coach Diego Simeone and featuring star Antoine Griezmann, amid great public enthusiasm in the city of Benghazi, whose stands were filled with Libyan fans.
The newspaper concluded its report by emphasizing that holding this match sends a clear message to the world that Libya, and particularly Benghazi, has regained its ability to host international events after years of isolation and conflict.