Infinite chaos because of the final in Rome! » The prefecture changed the schedule of the stage. The league is appealing to the court
Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, 18:51 / Updated on Tuesday, 12 May 2026 18:54
The 36th stage is over, but even now the schedule of the next round is not known. The final of the ATP Open Italia will be played on Sunday afternoon, a few hours after the start of the AS Roma – Lazio derby on “Olimpico”, located in the Foro Italico complex, and the authorities in the Capital entered into a harsh conflict with Lega Serie A and with the televisions that broadcast the matches.
The prefecture of Rome announced yesterday that it cannot ensure the security of the Derby della Capitale spectators if the match takes place on Sunday at noon (1:30 p.m. Romanian time), on the eve of the men's final of the 1,000-point Internazionali BNL d'Italia tournament.
The prefect of Rome, Lamberto Giannini, has decided that the Derby della Capitale will be played on Monday, May 18, at 20:45. For now!
And that's why he recommended postponing the Romanian duel to Monday (18:00), simultaneously with four other games of the teams in the race for a place in the Champions League. The league issued however a statement, which set the derby for Sunday at 1:30 p.m., the time being chosen to avoid a repeat of the violent clashes between fans from the derby scheduled at night on April 13, 2025, which resulted in 13 injured agents.
Stadio Olimpico, the stadium that Rome shares with Lazio
The prefect of Rome, Lamberto Giannini, intervened immediately this morning, moving AS Roma – Lazio again: “Having regard to the assessments carried out by the Provincial Committee for Public Order and Safety, with special reference to the aspects related to the management of public order and urban mobility in the context of a world-class event like the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, it was decided that the Derby della Capitale will be played on Monday, May 18, at 20:45″.
The match was moved as the 18:00 schedule would have been a problem for season ticket holders, Monday being a working day. In addition, DAZN and Sky protested that TV audiences were affected by the inappropriate time slot.
General manager Luigi De Siervo called Monday's derby solution “fanciful or impractical” and is appealing to the TAR!
However, Lega Serie A does not accept the solution and appealed to the Regional Administrative Court (TAR). General manager Luigi De Siervo, appointed Monday's derby solution “fanciful or impractical, because it would involve so many different realities, hundreds of thousands of people commuting in a weekday.
Jannik Sinner, world leader/Photo: Getty Images
It is also impossible to postpone only Rome – Lazio, because the simultaneity of matches involving teams with the same goal is absolutely necessary to guarantee the regularity of the championship. Based on the professionalism and expertise of law enforcement, the police commissioner and the prefect, I am convinced that scheduling the match at noon is the most appropriate.”
On the central pitch at the Foro Italico, located in the same complex as the Stadio Olimpico, where the clash between the rivals Giallorossi and Biancocelesti is scheduled, it is very likely that the favorite no. 1, the Italian Jannik Sinner. to play for the trophy and the 1,000 ATP points.
