Maurizio Sari is preparing to face his seventh derby in the Italian capital as Lazio's coach against Roma, confirming that the anticipated encounter is among the most prominent and intense matches worldwide.

Sari said: "The feeling is always the same; it's a special match filled with emotions. I think this is one of the most intense matches in Europe and one of the most followed derbies globally. The adrenaline and emotions are at their peak levels."

Regarding his injured players, he clarified: "Castellanos seems to be in a better condition and may recover, and we will evaluate Rovella's condition today. The other injured players will miss the match, while Patrick participated in part of yesterday's training and may be on the bench more symbolically than effectively."

When asked about Roma being the favorites, Sari responded: "I don't care about that; the derby is a confrontation between two groups of people who hate each other sportingly. All I want is for my team to fight for its fans. The favorite doesn't matter to me; what matters is that we fight for 95 or 100 minutes, otherwise, the match will be long, especially with temperatures reaching 35 degrees on the pitch."

He also spoke about his team's mental preparations, saying: "The difference in these matches is emotional and motivational, which reflects on the players' focus. These matches have a greater emotional dimension than any other confrontation."

Sari recalled memories of previous derbies: "Out of six derbies, we only lost one, and I only remember that loss. I recall the sadness that followed it, that heavy feeling that makes you realize the meaning of the derby, even feeling embarrassed when returning to the training center."

Regarding the early timing of the match, Sari expressed his objection: "The timing will be exhausting for both us and them, but it does not represent a loss for Lazio or Roma, but a loss for football and its institutions. The decision is related to maintaining public order, but we must focus only on the match. If there is a match worth fighting for, it is this derby."