Roma Calls the Udinese Match ‘Hardship’ and Says It Will Be Finished on April 25

Due to their mounting domestic and European obligations, Roma criticized Serie A’s decision on Friday to play the remaining eighteen minutes of their match against Udinese, which was postponed when defender Evan Ndicka fell on the field.

In order to complete their encounter from last Saturday, the two sides will meet again in Udine that evening at 2000 local time (1800 GMT). This is because Serie A has implemented a rule requiring interrupted matches to be completed within 15 days of being suspended.

However, Roma preferred for the match to conclude in the middle of May since, after their Monday encounter against Bologna, they would travel to Napoli the following weekend (the start time of that match is still pending) and play the first leg of their Europa League semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen on May 2.

Roma released a statement saying, “More than most other clubs, Roma’s European results and four consecutive (continental) semi-finals contributed to Italy’s UEFA ranking and, as a result, to the fifth slot in next season’s Champions League.”

“In spite of this, today’s unjust decision by Serie A president Lorenzo Casini puts Roma at a disadvantage when they play Bayer Leverkusen.” This is a glaring regression for Italian football as a whole.

Roma said that it would oppose what it considered to be a “unjustified hardship,” but it did not say how.

Now officially holding the last Champions League position in the league, the capital club sits fifth in Serie A. However, both fourth-placed Bologna and Napoli are vying for a ticket in Europe’s premier club championship.

“The date of Napoli vs Roma will as a result be set taking into account Roma’s needs,” Serie A had previously said in a statement.

When play was paused by referee Luca Pairetto in the 70th minute of Roma’s match against Udinese, with the score tied at one, Ndicka slumped due to chest issues.

Tests eventually indicated that the Ivory Coast international had “a thoracic trauma with minimal left pneumothorax (trapped air between the lung and chest wall),” despite the initial worry that the player had suffered a heart attack.

Ndicka was healthy enough to participate in the post-match celebrations on the Stadio Olimpico field with his teammates on Thursday after Roma’s 3-1 aggregate victory against AC Milan in the Europa League quarterfinals.