‘Absurd’ scheduling sparks backlash as Lazio Governor hits back at ‘selfish’ Serie A

Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has said that playing the Derby at 12:30 CET (11:30 BST) on Sunday was the only possible option, but the Lazio Region Governor Francesco Rocca doesn’t exactly see it the same way.

“De Siervo’s announcement leaves me perplexed, to put it mildly,” Rocca told Corriere della Sera.

FLORENCE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 22: General view inside the stadium Artemio Franchi during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus FC at Artemio Franchi on November 22, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

“It is absurd to make a decision just a few days before a match, whose date had been known for a long time and at the same time as the men’s final of the International Tennis Championship. This choice, besides being short-sighted, completely disregards the assessments carried out by the public security authorities.

“It would be wiser to play the Derby on Monday [May 18]. I find it unfair to demonise the fans when, in reality, there was simply a failure to plan ahead. I hope that Minister Piantedosi and Prefect Giannini will step in to correct the Lega Serie A’s superficial and selfish stance.”

We expect a decision today from the Provincial Committee for Public Order and Safety, which is meeting at the Prefecture in Rome.

According to TMW, as things stand, it’s highly likely that the Rome derby, along with the other four Serie A games, Juventus-Fiorentina, Como-Parma, Genoa-Milan and Pisa-Napoli will be moved to Monday at 18:00 CET (17.00 BST).