Serie A President Simonelli Defends Early Kickoff Time for Roma Derby
Serie A·5 May 2026·107d ago

Serie A President Simonelli Defends Early Kickoff Time for Roma Derby

Source: Forza Roma

Ezio Simonelli, president of Lega Serie A, defended the scheduling of the upcoming Derby della Capitale at 12:30 p.m., stating that while he understands the controversy surrounding the early kickoff, it offers a positive opportunity for the match to reach audiences in Eastern markets. The derby is set to take place in two weeks.

The early kickoff has drawn sharp criticism from prominent figures in Italian football. Maurizio Sarri issued a strong rebuke, calling the fixture time an insult to Roma, both Roman clubs, and their supporters, and stating that someone must be held accountable. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged the difficulties but explained the constraints: "The problem is that there are no other time slots. I don't think anyone is happy playing at 12:30. But I've been told that evening fixtures aren't possible for public order reasons, while Monday at 6 p.m. would be even worse. At least we're playing on Sunday."

Gasperini's comments came in his post-match remarks following Roma's fixture against Fiorentina. The scheduling conflict reflects ongoing tensions between broadcast interests and traditional match-day preferences in Italian football, with the league weighing international viewership potential against domestic fan sentiment.

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