The powers that be in Italian football have thrown a bucket of cold water on the eagerly awaited Rome Derby, with the chief executive of Lega Serie A...
The powers that be in Italian football have thrown a bucket of cold water on the eagerly awaited Rome Derby, with the chief executive of Lega Serie A refusing to give a green light to the proposed new kick off time. Luigi De Siervo, the man who holds the lion. �s share of authority over scheduling in the top flight, expressed grave doubts that the Derby della Capitale between Roma and Lazio would take place at the alternative hour being whispered in corridors. When pressed by our man at GoalZaza, the usually forthcoming administrator simply replied,. �I don. �t think so,. � leaving fans across Nigeria and beyond clutching their heads in confusion. In the scheme of things, this is no small matter. The Derby, which is one of the most ferocious and atmospheric fixtures on the European football calendar, has long been a staple for Super Eagles stars past and present who have donned the jerseys of both clubs. The proposed shift in kick off time was meant to give a good account of itself by attracting a larger global audience, but De Siervo. �s stonewalling suggests that the old order may remain firmly in place.. �At the end of the day, we must respect the traditions of the supporters and the logistics of the security agencies,. � the CEO added, though his words did little to calm the rising tension among the faithful. For the Nigerian football enthusiast, this uncertainty is especially grating. With the likes of Victor Osimhen having been linked with a move to the Italian capital, and other compatriots making their mark on Serie A pitches, every minute of the Derby matters. The match remains a clinic of tactical warfare and raw passion, and any tampering with its rhythm is bound to draw the ire of the viewing public. As it stands, GoalZaza understands that the Lega Serie A board will reconvene later this week to settle the matter once and for all, but for now, the doubt lingers like a stubborn Harmattan haze. In Lagos, particularly in the bustling viewing centres of Surulere and Ikeja, the news has been met with loud sighs and vigorous head wagging. The patrons, many of whom had already planned their Saturday evening around the proposed new kick off, are now in a state of mild revolt. One elder, a retired civil servant who never misses a Rome Derby, was heard telling his neighbours that. �if they change the time again, I will take my palm wine and go home.. � Another young man, clad in a Roma replica kit, declared that he would rather watch the match on a small portable television under a bridge than miss a single moment of the spectacle. The atmosphere, though tense, is still laced with the hope that the powers that be will eventually find a compromise that keeps the peace both on the pitch and in the hearts of the millions watching from afar.
