Roma-Lazio and four Serie A matches set for Sunday midday kick-off | OneFootball

Five Serie A Week 37 fixtures, including Roma-Lazio, will kick off on Sunday at 11.00 UK time, 12.00 CEST, after days of uncertainty. A crisis summit finally settled the schedule.

According to Football Italia, local authorities and the Lega Serie A agreed the plan this evening after failing to find common ground and after the TAR tribunal rejected an emergency appeal.

The final two matchdays must run simultaneously when key objectives are at stake, so Roma-Lazio, Como-Parma, Genoa-Milan, Juventus-Fiorentina and Pisa-Napoli had to start together, given the tight Champions League race.

Complications centred on the Stadio Olimpico, which shares the Foro Italico complex hosting the Italian Open men’s singles final on Sunday at 16.00 UK, 17.00 CEST. Safety fears prompted the Prefect to order the derby be moved to Monday at 19.45 UK, 20.45 CEST.

The league pushed for Sunday at 11.30 UK, 12.30 CEST, then appealed to the TAR when talks with the Prefect collapsed. The case was bounced back to local authorities, who convened tonight’s summit.

Clubs were split. Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri said he would not turn up and president Claudio Lotito should withdraw the squad if forced to play at midday on Sunday, while Roma backed supporters calling for a Sunday slot.

A Monday date carried further complications, with a public transport strike scheduled for that day.

Source: Football Italia