Serie A schedule in chaos, with half the teams unsure when they'll play this weekend

TL;DR

Half of the Serie A teams are uncertain about their match schedules this weekend due to a conflict with the Italian Open tennis final. The Rome derby has been moved to Monday evening after local authorities rejected alternative proposals to avoid disruption for fans.

Key points

Half of Serie A teams are unsure of their match schedules.
The Rome derby has been moved to Monday evening.
Scheduling conflict with the Italian Open tennis final.
Lega Serie A proposed an alternative kickoff time.
Teams competing for Champions League spots are affected.

Inter MilanNapoliJuventusAC Milan

MILAN (AP) — With just three days to go until the start of the penultimate round of Serie A fixtures, half the teams do not know when their matches will be played. The Rome derby is at the core of the issue as it was originally slated to kick off at 12:30 p.m. (local time) on Sunday, along with four other matches involving teams competing for a Champions League berth. Because the race for the final three Champions League spots — behind newly-crowned champion Inter Milan — is so tight, the games featuring Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan, Roma and Como all have to be played simultaneously to ensure fairness. However, the Italian Open men’s singles tennis final is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Rome's Foro Italico, in the same complex as the Stadio Olimpico and, because of fears of public safety, local authorities have ordered the derby to be moved to Monday evening. Because of the disruption that would cause to thousands of fans of the 10 teams involved, the Lega Serie A proposed an alternative: kicking off at 12 p.m. and pushing back the start of the tennis to 5:30 p.m. That was rejected by Rome authorities and so the Italian league’s governing body lodged a formal appeal with the Regional Administrative Tribunal (TAR) on Wednesday night. Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri was asked about the matter on Wednesday, after his team’s loss to Inter in the Italian Cup final, and he blamed the Lega Serie A, adding that he wouldn’t even turn up at the stadium if the derby was played on Sunday. “We could have thought of this overlap, but at the time elements such as five matches simultaneously and Lazio’s Italian Cup final were missing,” Lega Serie A president Ezio Simonelli said. “It certainly won’t happen again. “Out of a sense of responsibility also towards the 300,000 fans involved, we proposed a solution and I assure you that bringing forward a match by half an hour is not a usual thing. We are asking the players and teams to make a sacrifice.”

Q&A

Why are Serie A teams unsure about their match schedules this weekend?

Serie A teams are uncertain due to a scheduling conflict with the Italian Open tennis final, leading to the Rome derby being moved to Monday evening.

What is the significance of the Rome derby in the Serie A schedule?

The Rome derby is crucial as it affects the scheduling of multiple matches involving teams competing for Champions League spots, requiring them to be played simultaneously for fairness.

What was the proposed solution by Lega Serie A to resolve the scheduling conflict?

Lega Serie A proposed to kick off the Rome derby at 12 p.m. and push back the tennis final to 5:30 p.m., but this was rejected by local authorities.

Which teams are competing for Champions League spots in Serie A?

Teams competing for Champions League spots include Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan, Roma, and Como, all of whom are in close contention for the final three spots.

Serie A schedule in chaos, with half the teams unsure when they'll play this weekend

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

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