Serie A Reschedules Inter-Roma Match Following Pope’s Passing

The Italian Serie A has officially announced the postponement of the Inter Milan versus AS Roma match to Sunday, April 27, in light of the national day of mourning declared for Pope Francis’ funeral. This decision comes after considerable debate and confusion surrounding the rescheduling process.

Initially, there were discussions about potentially keeping the match on Saturday to allow Inter more recovery time before their crucial Champions League semifinal against Barcelona. However, the league ultimately decided to move the game to Sunday, with kickoff set for 15:00 CET.

The rescheduling has sparked controversy, particularly regarding Inter’s tight schedule. With a Coppa Italia derby against AC Milan on Wednesday and the upcoming Champions League clash, the Nerazzurri will now have only 78 hours between the Roma match and their trip to Barcelona.

Lega Serie A faced a challenging decision-making process, balancing respect for the national mourning period with competitive fairness. Granting an exception solely to Inter was deemed potentially problematic, given the tight Scudetto race with Napoli.

Two other Serie A fixtures have also been affected: Como versus Genoa will now be played on Sunday at 12:30 CET, while Lazio against Parma has been moved to Monday at 20:45 CET.

This rescheduling highlights the complexities of managing a competitive football calendar while respecting significant national events. The league’s decision aims to maintain the integrity of the competition while acknowledging the importance of the papal funeral.