‘An early kick-off is a defeat for football’

The Rome derby between Lazio and Roma will be played on Sunday at 13:30 at the Olimpico, for security reasons, according to the authorities. This comes after 24 police officers were injured ahead of the previous derby in April, which was played in the evening. At the time of the match, temperatures could reach 30 degrees Celsius. And that is something Lazio boss Mauricio Sarri is not very keen on.

The former Chelsea manager had some strong words for the authorities ahead of one of the biggest derbies in Italy.

“This is a defeat for football, because at that time, with this heat… it will affect the tempo of the game. It is also a defeat for the authorities, because it means they could not guarantee public order at another time,” said Sarri.

In recent seasons, the Rome derby has become a kind of gathering for some of the most passionate European fan groups, and some of them are expected to arrive in Rome on Sunday. Atletico Madrid, Panathinaikos and Dinamo Zagreb fans are friends with Roma supporters, while West Ham, Wisła Kraków, Levski Sofia and Lokomotive Leipzig fans are on friendly terms with Lazio supporters. In recent years there has been unrest at the derbies, for which thousands of police officers were deployed. The 2004 match was suspended after a false rumor spread that the police had killed a boy outside the stadium. Before last season’s derby, a car was set on fire in front of the stadium.

“The heat will be the same for us and for Roma, and we still have to give everything we can. If there is one match worth dying for on the pitch, it’s the derby” said Sarri.

Sarri returned to Lazio this season, after coaching them from 2021 to 2024. In his first spell, he led the team to four wins in six derbies, with one draw and one loss.

“I only remember the game we lost. The deep sadness we felt for days after that match was a heavy burden. That’s what I tried to explain to the players this week. They have to give their all, because this is a match you play for the fans, and we must not allow ourselves to disappoint them” said Sarri, referring to the 0–3 defeat in March 2022.

The upcoming clash will be the 22nd meeting between coaches Sarri and Gian Piero Gasperini, who replaced Claudio Ranieri on Roma’s bench.

“Maurizio and I have been facing each other since 2003 in Serie C. We’ve earned this and we deserve this Rome derby,” said Gasperini. Lazio collected three points in the first three rounds, while Roma earned six. Neither Lazio nor Roma are in the rudest of health heading into what is always a fiery local affair in the Italian capital, with both teams needing desperately not to lose the derby after dismal defeats last time out. Roma, on six points from three fixtures, fell at home to Torino last weekend and are yet to really look like a Gian Piero Gasperini team, a transformation that could take more than one season to complete. But Roma fans are notorious for their lack of patience even in a country where a bad week or two can lead to supporter unrest and calls for a change, and matches with Lazio are typically powder keg occasions which can define a season.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 4

Friday

Lecce - Cagliari 1-2 (1-1)

/Gabriel 5 - Belotti 33, 71 pen/

Saturday

Bologna - Genoa 2-1 (0-0)

/Castro 73, Orsolini 90+9 pen - Ellertsson 63/

Verona - Juventus 1-1 (1-1)

/Orban 44 pen - Conceicao 19/

Udinese - Milan 0-3 (0-1)

/Pulisic 40, 53, Fofana 46/

Sunday

13.30: (2.85) Lazio (3.10) Roma (2.65)

16.00: (2.55) Cremonese (3.15) Parma (2.95)

16.00: (3.50) Torino (3.35) Atalanta (2.25)

19.00: (2.65) Fiorentina (3.15) Como (2.80)

21.45: (1.30) Inter (5.50) Sassuolo (10.0)

Monday

21.45: (1.25) Napoli (5.70) Pisa (13.0)

*** odds are subject to change***