Serie A fixture chaos explodes as Sarri threatens derby boycott: "This is not football"

Round 37 approaches with AC Milan and nine other teams still uncertain about their next match date. The scheduling dispute centers on the Roma-Lazio derby, where security concerns and a tennis final at the Stadio Olimpico area complicate timing. Lega Serie A has appealed to move the derby from Monday night to Sunday lunchtime after a proposal was rejected by the Rome prefecture. If the derby shifts, matches involving Milan, Juventus, Napoli, and Como would also be moved because the league requires top-four race games to be played simultaneously. Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri indicates he will not participate if the derby is scheduled for Sunday midday, criticizing Lega Serie A for repeated scheduling errors tied to other major events.

"With the start of round 37 just days away, AC Milan and nine other teams still have no idea when they will be playing next. The chaos surrounding the penultimate round of Serie A centres around the derby between Roma and Lazio, and the fact that the league wants all the games involving teams in the top four race to be played at the same time."

"As Football Italia relay from various sources, Lega Serie A has now lodged an appeal to have Roma-Lazio moved from Monday night to Sunday lunchtime, after their proposal was rejected by the Rome prefecture. That means the games involving Milan, Juventus, Napoli and Como would all be moved too, given that it has been pre-determined they all have to be played simultaneously to ensure fairness."

"With the security risk of Roma-Lazio and the fact there is a tennis final scheduled on main court next to the Stadio Olimpico, there is back and forth between local government, the authorities and the Lega about when to play the game. As mentioned, Serie A have now lodged a formal appeal to the TAR tribunal, hoping to get a response on Thursday so it can finally be decided when these matches are meant to be played."

""My feeling is that I'll come on Monday, but if they want to play the derby at midday on a Sunday, I'm not coming. They can do it themselves," he said. "This is a series of errors made by the Lega Serie A, they organised the Turin Derby around the ATP tennis finals in Turin, then the Rome Derby when the Italian Open is on in Rome. "These were their mistakes and I agree with the local authorities, so I hope we play on Monday.""

Read at SempreMilan