'I won't come!' - Maurizio Sarri reiterates he will boycott Lazio derby clash against Roma as coach fumes at kick-off time

The fixture list for the final weeks of the Serie A season has officially been confirmed, and it has not gone down well at the Stadio Olimpico. Lega Serie A and the Prefecture have reached an agreement to hold the Rome derby on Sunday at 12:30 local time. The decision has sparked a furious reaction from Sarri, who believes the scheduling is a sign of incompetence from the league's governing body.

Speaking to Mediaset in the wake of recent fixtures, the former Chelsea boss delivered a stunning ultimatum regarding his presence at the match. "The sensation is that Monday I'm coming, Sunday at 12:30 I'm not coming: at that time, they can play themselves," Sarri remarked.

He continued his scathing assessment by stating: "The chaos comes from a series of errors made by the League. The Prefect was clear, let's hope that is the date. If I were the president, I wouldn't even present the team. We will take a one-point penalty; for us, it changes nothing at this point."

Sarri's primary frustration lies in the physical demands placed on players during the late-season heat in the Italian capital. The coach argued that playing such a pivotal match in the midday sun is a disservice to the quality of the competition, especially with European qualification on the line for several clubs. At the start of the season, Lazio already faced similar conditions, and Sarri argued that such timing represents a total lack of understanding of the fixture's importance.

"There are five teams playing for the Champions League, which is worth €80 million, and we play at 12:30? This is not football," Sarri lamented. He further suggested that the organisers have shown a lack of respect to the Rome-based clubs compared to their rivals in the north. The veteran coach even went as far as to suggest that "someone should resign" for proposing such a time slot for one of the most intense rivalries in world football.

While the boycott threat has taken centre stage, it comes against a backdrop of increasing uncertainty regarding Sarri's long-term future at Lazio. The club currently sits ninth in the table, having officially fallen out of contention for European qualification next season

On the other hand, the match holds immense significance for Roma, who currently sit fifth with 67 points - level with fourth-placed AC Milan and just two points ahead of Como in sixth. With only two rounds remaining in the Serie A season, the battle for Champions League qualification has reached a fever pitch, making every point crucial for the Giallorossi.

Despite Sarri's fiery rhetoric, it remains highly unlikely that Lazio would risk the severe sanctions of a total boycott. However, the stakes for this derby have never been higher for the manager; after losing the Coppa Italia final 2-0 to Inter and suffering a 1-0 defeat to Roma in the reverse fixture earlier this season, Sarri is desperate for redemption. With the club currently enduring a lacklustre campaign, this derby represents his final opportunity to appease a frustrated fanbase, even as he hints at personal forms of protest against the league's scheduling.