The Italian Football Federation has postponed all domestic football matches scheduled for Easter Monday including Serie A, lower divisions, and amateur levels following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88.
The announcement, made in agreement with Italian footballing bodies, means that games involving Nigerian internationals Maduka Okoye and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru will not go ahead as planned. Okoye’s Udinese were set to visit Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, while Dele-Bashiru’s Lazio had a fixture lined up against Genoa.
The decision also affects other fixtures such as Cagliari versus Fiorentina and Parma versus Juventus. A revised date for the affected matches will be confirmed in due course.
Both Nigerian players have made 19 Serie A appearances this season. While Okoye has featured regularly for Udinese, Dele-Bashiru has found starts limited, lining up from the first whistle in just five matches. Lazio currently sit seventh on the table with 56 points, while Udinese hold eleventh place with 40.
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Editorial
The suspension of Serie A matches in the wake of Pope Francis’ passing is a poignant reminder of how deeply entwined football is with broader cultural and societal moments. Italy, a country where football is nearly religion in its own right, has paused its most beloved pastime to honour a spiritual leader a gesture that reflects both reverence and unity.
For Nigerian players like Maduka Okoye and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, the unexpected break may offer a moment to reflect, reset, or even recover from the rigours of a demanding season. But beyond the pitch, it reinforces the emotional and spiritual ties that bind football to the real world. Even in elite sport, there is room for solemn respect.
As fans, we often focus solely on the tactical, the physical, the statistical. But football’s power lies in its connection to people, culture, and collective experiences. This gesture by Serie A rare, respectful, and symbolic elevates the game beyond the goals and the glory.
The season will resume, and matches will be replayed. But what lingers is a powerful message: some moments transcend sport. And football, for all its global appeal, knows when to stand still in honour.
Did You Know?
- Pope Francis was a lifelong football fan and a supporter of San Lorenzo, one of Argentina’s oldest clubs.
- Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is the younger brother of Tom Dele-Bashiru, who plays for Watford in the English Championship.
- Maduka Okoye was born in Germany and began his professional career at Fortuna Düsseldorf before choosing to represent Nigeria.
- Serie A has only postponed a full round of matches a handful of times in recent history, most notably after national tragedies.
- Lazio and Udinese have both won Serie A titles in their history, with Lazio’s last triumph coming in the 1999–2000 season.
