Serie A admit Atalanta-Fiorentina likely after season complete

Lega Serie A chief Lorenzo Casini admits it is increasingly likely that Atalanta–Fiorentina will have to be played after the season has effectively ended.

The game was originally meant to be played on March 17 at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, but was called off when Viola director general Joe Barone collapsed at the team hotel just over an hour before kick-off.

He died in hospital a couple of days later.

There has been no opportunity for them to reschedule the fixture, because both teams were involved in the Coppa Italia semi-finals and the Europa League and Conference League semi-finals respectively.

“The only available slot before the end of the season would be May 22,” Lega Serie A President Casini told Radio Anch’io Sport.

“However, if as we all hope the teams progress in Europe, then we would have to think about May 31 or June 2.”

These are both after the rest of the Serie A season has already concluded on the weekend of May 26.

Atalanta and Fiorentina packed schedules

It’s particularly worrying because both Atalanta and Fiorentina are in the middle of tight races for European qualification, so knowing the other results in advance could be beneficial for them.

Atalanta are currently in sixth place, two points behind Roma with a game in hand.

Fiorentina sit in eighth position, five points behind Lazio with one more match to be played.