Cesari criticizes VAR after missed penalty on Mancini in Roma's Parma win

AS Roma's Derby della Capitale clash against SS Lazio on 17 May has become the subject of a scheduling dispute involving public order authorities. The match, part of Serie A's 37th round, is set to take place the same day as the final of the 83rd edition of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia tennis tournament. Both events occur within metres of each other at the Foro Italico, creating significant crowd management challenges. The Lega di Serie A initially proposed a 12:30 kick-off, but Rome's Prefettura (local authority) pushed back, suggesting the derby be moved to Monday 18 May at 20:45. In response, the Lega and Prefettura have now proposed a compromise: hold the derby on Sunday 17 May at 12:00, with all concurrent Serie A matches scheduled for the same time, while requesting the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation delay the tennis final by two and a half hours to 17:30. This would allow both events to proceed on the same day several hours apart. The tennis final is already sold out. The proposal would also affect matches involving Juventus, Milan, Como, and Napoli—all contenders in the Champions League race—forcing them to play at an unusual midday slot during May's heat and heightened competition tension. Official confirmation remains pending. Details of whether all parties will accept the compromise remain unclear, and further changes could still occur before the final decision is announced.

The timing of Roma's upcoming derby against SS Lazio remains unconfirmed following scheduling complications affecting multiple Serie A title contenders. The Lega Serie A initially announced the match for Sunday, May 17 at 12:30 p.m., alongside fixtures for Napoli, Milan, Juventus, and Como in the Champions League race. However, a provincial public order and security committee meeting scheduled for today could alter these plans, with Monday, May 18 emerging as a possible new date. Local authorities — the prefettura and questura — are considering various kickoff times. While officials prefer an 18:00 start, an evening kickoff is also under discussion, despite evening fixtures typically being restricted due to public safety concerns. The Lega Serie A opposes any postponement and has indicated readiness to escalate the matter to competent authorities, including potential legal action through the Tar (administrative court). League chief executive Luigi De Siervo has proposed an alternative: postponing the final of the Rome International Tennis Tournament to free up security resources. The fixture is complicated by concurrent scheduling demands across the league, with multiple clubs competing for Champions League qualification. Details remain unclear regarding which option will ultimately prevail, though a decision is expected soon following today's security meeting.

AS Roma is preparing for the Derby della Capitale with key players set to return. Lorenzo Pellegrini and Dovbyk are expected to rejoin the squad following a rest day, with the team resuming training soon. Paulo Dybala is lined up to start the derby match alongside Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen in attack, with the club considering deploying the attacking trio to maximize their chances in the capital derby against SS Lazio's squad. The derby takes place amid an intense Serie A title race for Champions League qualification. Roma recently secured a dramatic late victory over Parma, while AC Milan's loss in their evening fixture has kept the competition wide open. With both third and fourth place still up for grabs and only two spots available for European football, the upcoming matches are critical. Napoli, currently second, suffered a home defeat to Bologna and will need points from their next fixtures to secure Champions League football. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma remains in contention despite the tight standings. The squad appears to have recovered well from recent efforts, with Malen receiving praise for his recent performances. The clash against Sarri's Lazio team represents a crucial opportunity for Roma to press their European qualification bid as the season reaches its decisive phase.

Tension boiled over at the final whistle of Parma's match against Roma after the visitors secured a comeback 2–1 victory. Evan Ndicka was visibly angry on the pitch and had to be held back and escorted away by four teammates—Gollini, Tsimikas, Malen, and Cristante—while Mario Hermoso and Gianluca Mancini were also among the most heated Roma players involved in the post-match melee. The confrontation intensified between the benches and drew intervention from Gasperini and his assistant Gritti, who quickly pulled Mancini away from the conflict to prevent disciplinary action. Mancini's removal was particularly critical because he was the only Roma player carrying a yellow-card caution ahead of the upcoming derby against Lazio. The tension appears to have been fueled by aggressive play from Parma's players throughout the match, with notably tough and sometimes excessive challenges. Details remain unclear about the specific grievances between individual players, though conflict emerged between Mancini and Parma's right-back Valeri, described as a Lazio supporter. Roma had initially gone ahead through Donyell Malen but surrendered the lead before fighting back to secure the points in added time.

Roma secured an unlikely victory at Parma with a dramatic comeback entirely in added time, overturning a 2–1 deficit. Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala were the standout performers, with substitute Rensch making an immediate impact after entering the pitch. The two Dutch players drove the team to success after the defence had struggled throughout the match. Across seven major Italian newspapers, Malen received ratings ranging from 7.5 to 9 for his display, while Rensch earned 7.5 to 8 for his contribution from the bench. Dybala was consistently praised with scores of 6.5 to 7.5. However, the defensive line drew widespread criticism. Gianluca Mancini, Hermoso, and Matías Soulé were all rated between 5 and 5.5 across the publications, reflecting their poor performances. N'Dicka received marginally better marks. Mile Svilar in goal was rated 6 by all outlets. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's management earned scores of 6 to 8, with one outlet giving him 8 for his tactical decisions during the comeback. The victory marked a significant response to what appeared a lost cause with Keita's goal late in regular time. Rensch's introduction proved crucial in turning the match, demonstrating the impact of tactical substitutions in Roma's dramatic turnaround.

Referee Gianpaolo Calvarese has analysed a contentious match between Roma and Parma, offering his verdict on several disputed moments. In the first half, Roma appealed for two penalties: the first came when Circati made contact with Dybala's arm, but Calvarese assessed that the defender's objective was to create space for the ball rather than obstruct play, making it non-punishable. The second involved Valenti's challenge on Mancini from a falling ball; while contact occurred, the VAR did not intervene because the defender simultaneously cleared the ball. In the second half, the annulment of Pellegrino's goal drew heavy criticism after Troilo's movement interfered with Svilar's dive. A silent VAR check examined whether Mancini's arm made contact as Rensch scored the 2–2, but Calvarese determined the impact was with the defender's flank and would not have been punishable regardless. The final flashpoint was the penalty awarded to Roma following an on-field review: Rensch gained an advantage over Britschgi through body-to-body contact as he moved into position ahead of his opponent, which constituted a foul. Calvarese's analysis provides context for the match's volatile nature and the VAR's intervention points throughout.