|
Serie A has accepted Lazio's request to push back the Eternal City derby with Roma until Monday to give them more time to recover from Wednesday's Coppa Italia final with Juventus. The derby had originally been scheduled to take place on Sunday at 3:00 p.m., but the Biancocelesti wanted a little more time to prepare after facing Juve in midweek. Roma were opposed to the postponement, but Serie A, of which Lazio president Claudio Lotito is an advisor, accepted Lazio's request. Because of security fears, the game could not be staged after dark, meaning Monday was the next available date for the game to take place. The kick-off will be at 6:00 p.m. It is set to be one of the more important derbies of recent years with Roma, officially the away team at the Stadio Olimpico, able to wrap up second place in Serie A and a place in the group stage of next season's Champions League with a win. Lazio can move above Roma with a victory which, like a draw, would ensure direct qualification to the Champions League is decided on the final day of the season. Roma conclude the season at home to Palermo, while Lazio travel to Napoli, who still have a chance of catching the Biancocelesti by winning their next two games, setting up a potential Champions League decider at the Stadio San Paoli should Lazio lose in the derby. "We are halfway there," Roma coach Rudi Garcia said on his club's official website. "Against Lazio we can seal automatic qualification for the Champions League. We can win or draw against the Biancocelesti but we are not going to play for a point. It's a derby and we want to win it."
|
