Source: REUTERS/Alberto Lingria
[Saba Sports News] According to Italian media reports, this season’s Rome derby will be held at night for the first time in six years, as approved by the government and police. The atmosphere of the Rome derby has always been intense, and conflicts between fans of both teams often occur. In a Rome derby in 2013, there was a large-scale armed conflict between Roma and Lazio fans, after which local authorities gradually strengthened management of the derby. The last time the Rome derby was held at night was in March 2019 when Daniele De Rossi was still captain of Roma. Since then, the Rome derby has been scheduled during the day to facilitate police security measures. However, in recent years, fan behavior from both teams has become more regulated. The first Rome derby of this season is scheduled for January 5, 2025; Rome governor Giuseppe Giannini, Rome police chief Vittorio Pisani, and sports security officials held a meeting this week and agreed to schedule the match for 8:45 PM local time on January 5. Notably, this will be the first time in six years that the Rome derby is held at night.