Italy`s Serie A football league has announced the postponement of additional matches following the passing of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His death was attributed to a stroke and coronary failure, coming after several weeks of hospitalization due to breathing difficulties.
Initially, it was announced that all fixtures scheduled for Monday would be moved to Wednesday as a sign of respect for the pontiff.
Now, football authorities have confirmed that the Serie A fixtures planned for Saturday will also be suspended to accommodate Pope Francis` funeral.
Three games were originally scheduled for Saturday: Como vs Genoa, Inter Milan vs Roma, and Lazio vs Parma.
The encounter between Inter and Roma stands out as the most significant, given Inter`s tight competition with Napoli for the league title, with both teams currently level on points.
These postponed matches are now expected to be played on Sunday.
The funeral ceremony for Pope Francis will be held in St. Peter`s Square, as decided by the Roman Catholic cardinals on Tuesday.
Several global leaders are anticipated to attend the ceremony, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The Pope was known to be an avid football enthusiast and reportedly watched his home country, Argentina, secure victory in the 2022 World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino released a statement expressing his profound sadness over the pontiff`s death.
In a post on Instagram, Infantino shared, “I was privileged enough to spend some time with him on a couple of occasions, and he always shared his enthusiasm for football and stressed the important role our sport plays in society.
“All the prayers of the whole football world are with him.”
