Roma director general Franco Baldini is still struggling to understand why his side’s Coppa Italia tie against Fiorentina will be played in Florence.
The Giallorossi were set to be the home team in the one-legged affair until Lazio also qualified for the last eight of the competition.
Roma director general Franco Baldini is still struggling to understand why his side’s Coppa Italia tie against Fiorentina will be played in Florence.
The Giallorossi were set to be the home team in the one-legged affair until Lazio also qualified for the last eight of the competition.
As Lazio were also drawn to play at their own Stadio Olimpico, Roma lost their home advantage because their city cousins had a higher seeding than they did in the competition.
However, seeing as Lazio played last night and Roma’s tie is set for next week, Baldini has criticised the Lega for failing to switch the game back to Rome.
“With regard to the Coppa Italia match against Fiorentina, I wish to stress once again that Roma’s position remains unchanged,” he said on the club's website. “We demand that the rules be respected and applied correctly.
“In this case we are not contesting the rules of the Coppa Italia, nor the Lega's authority to prepare the schedule, nor the requirements of the broadcasters showing the competition – we have simply expressed valid doubts that these regulations have been correctly interpreted.
“The change of venue is an exception to the rule that establishes Roma’s right to play at home. This exception is provided for in the case of – and I quote the rules here – matches being played concurrently. Two matches played eight days apart are not concurrent.
“We chose to turn to the FIGC Court of Justice and ask them to explain the correct interpretation of the rules.
“Otherwise the problem would remain of not being able to turn to anyone in such cases, leaving the Lega with an arbitrary decision-making power that is generally hard to accept when rules are applied incorrectly.”