Cicinho hits out at derby time switch

Roma´s Brazilian full-back Cicinho, pictured in 2007, hit out at Serie A bosses on Wednesday after they decided to switch the start time for March´s Rome derby from 8:30pm to 9:15pm.

      ROME (AFP) - Roma's Brazilian full-back Cicinho hit out at Serie A bosses on Wednesday after they decided to switch the start time for March's Rome derby from 8:30pm to 9:15pm. Such late starts are common places in other countries, particularly in Spain or South America, but it is unheard of in Italy. But Cicinho said such a late kick-off time for the Lazio-Rome match on March 19 is unfair on fans. "The derby at 9:15pm? I don't think it's a problem for us players, certainly not for me because in Brazil and Spain it's normal to kick-off even at 9:45pm," he said. "The real problem is for the fans because they have to go to bed late and then get up and go to work the next day." Cicinho also looked forward to Roma's Champions League second round clash with Real Madrid, his last club before moving to Italy. He never made much of an impression at the Santiago Bernabeu and rarely found himself on the start sheet, something which convinced him to move on to Roma. "I'd like to be in the starting 11 against Real," he added. "But it's not a match in which I'm looking for revenge because it was me who decided to go there. "They only saw me as back-up for Sergio Ramos and after talking with my family I decided to leave Madrid and come to Roma. I feel good and I don't have any regrets. "We're calmly waiting for the game. Real are a great team but we've also achieved some great results."