Why Maurizio Sarri Decided to Backtrack on Roma Derby Threat | OneFootball

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri will attend the Derby della Capitale clash against Roma as usual, despite threatening not to show up.

Roma & Lazio Timing Caused a Major Stir

The two capital rivals will clash heads at an extremely early kickoff (12:00 CET), which infuriated the Tuscan manager, especially amid the rising mid-May temperature in Rome. Sarri had already expressed his irritation when the first Derby of the season was also scheduled at a similar time back in September.

This time, the Lega Serie A argued that their hand was forced due to the final of the Italian Open, a tennis tournament taking place at the same sports complex as the Stadio Olimpico. The local authorities of Rome tried to move the fixture to Monday, citing public safety. However, the Lega insisted on playing this match (and the four other games involving clubs fighting for Europe) on Sunday.

Maurizio Sarri Threatened to Boycott the Derby

The parties eventually reached a settlement, scheduling the contest at a very early hour of the day, much to Sarri’s dismay. In fact, the 67-year-old had threatened to boycott the Derby should the contest be played at noon. These were his words following Wednesday’s defeat to Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia final:

Lazio Players Convince Sarri to Attend Roma Derby

On Saturday, Sarri didn’t hold a pre-match press conference or speak with any member of the press, and he’s unlikely to do so on Sunday. Nevertheless, Il Messaggero reveals that the manager will show up, and he’ll be in the dugout as usual.

As the Roman newspaper explains, the Lazio players urged their head coach not to abandon them in this pivotal fixture, especially with their fans deciding not to attend the Derby as they continue to protest against club president Claudio Lotito.