Chinese football poll completed
25 March 2003, London
An FMMI-Titan poll of Chinese football fans shattered a few illusions as Serie A and AC Milan finished well ahead of the Premier League and Manchester United in the popularity stakes.
The poll, conducted on sports media group Titan's web site,
attracted responses from Chinese football fans nationwide.
With the Italian league attracting the support of 51% of the
vote against 33% from the Premiership clearly Italian club sides
enjoy an advantage over their English club rivals. Some consolation
comes in the form of another convincing English defeat of the
Germans who finished bottom of the big four with a paltry 4% behind
the Spanish with 12%.
In the 'favourite European club' stakes Milan's victory was
comprehensive as they took 28.2% ahead of nearest rivals Real
Madrid (18.5%), Manchester United (11%), Inter Milan (11%) and
Arsenal (10.7%). Juventus (6.6%) and Bayern Munich (3.6%) were the
only other clubs to enjoy a significant measure of commitment from
Chinese fans.