Report Sarri makes crucial decision after threat to abandon Roma-Lazio | OneFootball

Maurizio Sarri had said he wouldn’t turn up if Lazio were forced to play Roma at midday on Sunday, but it’s reported begging from the players and club changed his mind.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday at 11.00 UK time (12.00 CEST).

The organisation of the fixture was fraught with chaos, as the Lega Serie A and local authorities battled for four days over what day and time to play the Derby della Capitale.

When it was still up in the air, Sarri said after losing the Coppa Italia Final to Inter on Wednesday that he would not be in attendance if they were made to play on a Sunday at midday.

Sarri frustrated with Lazio organisation

ROME, ITALY – APRIL 27: SS Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on April 27, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

“My feeling is that I’ll come on Monday evening, but if they want to play the derby at midday on a Sunday, I’m not coming. They can do it themselves,” Sarri told Sport Mediaset on Wednesday.

“These were their mistakes and I agree with the local authorities, so I hope we play on Monday. If I was President of Lazio, I wouldn’t even show up with the squad on Sunday. It makes no difference to us either way, we’ll lose points penalties, I wouldn’t go.”

When the fixture was confirmed for midday, questions inevitably arose about whether Sarri would go through with his threat.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, Il Messaggero and other newspapers, the Lazio squad begged Sarri to change his mind and be there for their sake.

ROME, ITALY – MARCH 15: Maurizio Sarri head coach SS Lazio celebrates a victory after the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on March 15, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

It is likely to be his final derby at the club, as there is on-going tension with President Claudio Lotito and the directors.

The squad is already forced to be without the support of their ultras, who are boycotting Serie A home matches in protest at Lotito’s strategy, so to miss their coach as well would be damaging.