AC Milan form women's team

Rome - AC Milan said on Tuesday it was forming a women's team to compete in next season's league with a buyout of ACF Brescia.

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"AC Milan is announcing that from the 2018/2019 season it will participate for the first time in the club's history in the female Serie A championship... with the purchase of ACF Brescia," a club statement said.

Brescia finished this season by missing out in the cup final to Fiorentina and were edged out by Juventus in the women's league.

To date the club has lifted two league titles and three cups.

Tuesday's statement said the purchase "shows that AC Milan is taking an extra step in the framework of the Italian Federation's project to develop women's football".

Last year, Juve bought the licence for nearby Cuneo Calcio Feminile as the Turin club also moved into the women's game.

Juventus Women, bolstered by investments from Juve's links to the Agnelli family, promptly lifted the league crown.