The Serie A fixture between Roma and Lazio, originally set to be played simultaneously with other Champions League contenders, has experienced significant scheduling turmoil. Initially slated for Sunday at 11:30 AM UK time (12:30 PM CEST), local authorities intervened, pushing the match to Monday at 7:45 PM UK time (8:45 PM CEST) due to public safety concerns related to the Italian Open tennis finals. After days of negotiations and appeals, a resolution was reached: the derby will now take place on Sunday at 11:00 AM UK time (12:00 PM CEST).
This late change raises a critical question: will Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri follow through on his public threat to boycott the match? Sarri expressed his strong dissatisfaction following Lazio’s Coppa Italia final loss to Inter, stating his intention not to attend if the derby was scheduled for midday on a Sunday.
Sarri’s Stance on the Derby Schedule
“My feeling is that I’ll come on Monday, but if they want to play the derby at midday on a Sunday, I’m not coming. They can do it themselves,” Sarri declared to Sport Mediaset on Wednesday night. He criticized Lega Serie A for what he perceived as a series of errors in scheduling, citing the Turin Derby’s overlap with the ATP finals and now the Rome Derby coinciding with the Italian Open.
Sarri aligned himself with the local authorities’ concerns and hoped for a Monday fixture. He even suggested that if he were the President of Lazio, he would not bring the squad to the stadium on Sunday. “It makes no difference to us either way, we’ll lose points penalties, I wouldn’t go,” he added.
Expressing frustration with the league’s management, Sarri lamented the lack of accountability. “They make a series of incredible errors, nobody holds their hands up and says sorry we made a mistake. I doubt I’d keep a job if I made three or four mistakes per day. They can’t pretend this is normal, there are five teams playing games that are worth €90m for their futures, you can’t make them play at midday. This is not football,” he concluded.
While Roma has actively sought to ensure the game proceeds on Sunday, Lazio has remained largely silent on the escalating scheduling dispute.