AC Milan v Lazio brought forward as Europa League schedule approaches

AC Milan’s Serie A meeting with Lazio has been moved forward by 24 hours and will now be played on Saturday, 12 September, rather than Sunday, 13 September.

The fourth-round fixture will also begin earlier than originally planned. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:00 Moscow time, replacing the initial 21:45 start.

The change has been made ahead of the beginning of the European club competitions, with AC Milan preparing to return to continental action in the Europa League. The Italian club will face Portuguese side Benfica in the competition on 16 September, four days after the rearranged Lazio match.

The fixture had initially been due to take place on the Sunday, with a late-evening kick-off at 21:45 in Moscow. It will instead be staged during the early part of the weekend’s schedule, giving AC Milan a different preparation timetable before their European opener.

Pianeta Milan reported the alteration, which affects both the date and the time of the Serie A encounter. The match will now take place on the Saturday afternoon in the local Italian schedule, although its start time is listed as 19:00 Moscow time.

AC Milan’s involvement in the Europa League comes after the club missed out on the Champions League, a competition their supporters had hoped to see them enter. Their European campaign will therefore begin against Benfica rather than in Europe’s premier club tournament.

The meeting with Lazio represents the fourth round of the Italian championship. It will be followed shortly afterwards by AC Milan’s match against Benfica on 16 September, making the revised domestic date particularly significant in the club’s early-season calendar.

No change has been announced to the opponents involved: AC Milan will still host or visit Lazio as originally scheduled, with the adjustment limited to when the game is played and its kick-off time. The original Sunday fixture has consequently been replaced by a Saturday meeting, while the start has been brought forward by two hours and 45 minutes in Moscow time.

The revised arrangements mean the Serie A match will be completed one day earlier than first expected, before AC Milan turn their attention to the Europa League. Lazio remain the opponents in the fourth-round fixture, while Benfica are scheduled to provide the opposition in the European competition on the following Wednesday.

The move reflects the proximity of the European programme to the domestic fixture. AC Milan will now play Lazio on 12 September at 19:00 Moscow time, then begin their Europa League campaign against Benfica on 16 September.