Rome police chief urges new date for Roma v Lazio amid Italian Open clash | OneFootball

Rome’s Police Chief, Roberto Massucci, has urged Lega Serie A to move the Roma v Lazio derby from its expected Sunday 12:30 CET slot, citing public order concerns with the Italian Open staged at the same sports complex as the Stadio Olimpico. The official dates for Matchday 37 have not yet been released.

Lazio are preparing for Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan, with the league showdown to follow later in the week. According to The Laziali, the early kick-off is at the centre of a heated debate because of the overlap with the tennis tournament.

Maurizio Sarri is unhappy with a 12:30 start, as he was when the sides met in September, and he has threatened to skip all media duties related to the fixture if that timing is confirmed. He also dislikes playing in high temperatures.

Massucci is similarly displeased, albeit for different reasons, stressing the strain of two major events on the same day. He said the police can handle difficult simultaneous occasions but that common sense suggests avoiding a derby on the same day as a global tennis event. He noted last year was Rome’s most challenging in the last 30 years, and that sensitivities in public squares make maintaining order a constant task.

The only other rumoured option is Monday evening. A weekday derby may not be ideal, yet it appears more acceptable to most and would give Lazio an extra day to recover from Wednesday’s final.

Source: The Laziali