Milan and Bologna will have an asterisk on the standings for a long time due to the recent postponement. The next date to play the game falls in February. Serie A chairman Lorenzo Casini explained the situation to Radio Rai (via Calcio e Finanza).
“It’ll happen in that month, and the precise day hinges on the two team’s results in the Coppa Italia and Europe. We have seen the comments on the matter, some more reasonable than orders. There was an ordinance by a public authority. The precedents in that respect are clear both in the regular and the sports justice. There was no chance to work around it.”
The League tried to move Bologna-Milan to another location last Friday.
“Despite the short amount of time at our disposal, we attempted to find a neutral field. It’s something that’s not included in our bylaws, so it would have been an important innovation. However, with just 24 hours to work with, the available stadiums were a lot smaller than the Dall’Ara. There would have been problems for the fans, who would have to travel, and the home team. The Rossoneri were open to it. I thank Empoli for their help in particular. In the end, we simply decided to follow the decree and postponed it.”
Milan and Bologna could lock horns either on February 5th, if neither advance to the Coppa Italia quarterfinals, or in the ensuing two weeks if they aren’t involved in the Champions League playoffs. The next surefire date would be April 3rd, but the rules say that the two seasonal meetings have to be eight matchdays apart. The second tilt will occur in mid-May.
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