Roma handed three points for Cagliari postponement

Roma have been awarded three points for their Serie A clash with Cagliari after the scheduled match on Sunday evening was postponed.

The fixture at Cagliari’s new ground, Stadio Is Arenas, was initially due to take place behind closed doors over concerns for the safety of supporters, as the ground is yet to pass security tests.

However, the clash was cancelled after club president Massimo Cellino invited supporters to disregard the authorities’ warnings and attend the match if they had a ticket.

Roma director Franco Baldini called for his club to be awarded three points by default as a result of the postponement, leaving Cagliari to issue a statement branding the chief a ‘vulture’, although his wish has now seemingly been granted.

A statement from the Serie A Football League read: “The Judge read the decision dated September 22, 2012 of the Prefect of Cagliari, who decided ‘for the urgent and serious need to protect public order and the public safety’ to defer to a later date Cagliari-Roma game of September 23rd 2012.

“He found that the same administrative authority had previously ordained with decision dated September 15, 2012, that the game should be held ‘in the absence of the public’ due to the unavailability of Is Arenas Stadium in Quartu S. Elena, with consequential prohibition for Cagliari of the sale of the related tickets and the obligation to cancel those sold.

“Given that in Cagliari’s president’s note in which he asked ‘to all his fans, ticket holders and subscription, go to the stadium to watch the game in respect of order and civilization ….’ it was a real risk to generate ’emotional and irrational reactions’; (…) he noted that Roma have announced a complaint.

“He decided to sanction Cagliari with the loss of the competition with a score of 0-3 (zero to three), also providing the transmission of a copy of the records to the Federal Attorney General of jurisdiction over the conduct of the President Cellino.”

The result means Roma move up to fifth on the Serie A table with seven points.