It added that the overall market, net of advertising linked to the 2018 Soccer World Cup, was down 4.2% in the same period.

Mediaset said that a proper year-on-year comparison should be adjusted to account for the World Cup as well as Champions League and football pay TV from 2018 which were not included in the 2019 offer.

(Reporting by Elvira Pollina, editing by Giulia Segreti)