AS Roma's plans for their new stadium are set to be approved by Christmas.

Fabrizio Panecaldo of the Partito Democratico spoke to reporters after a city council meeting.

"The stadium plans will be done by Christmas or Boxing Day," Panecaldo revealed.

"We will give this gift to the Roma fans, although the stadium will not belong to Rome but rather to [Roma President James] Pallotta.

"I hope for the whole city that it will be a stadium which can accommodate rugby, that would be useful for the city.

"We hope to give a gift to the city, Romanisti in particular. I think we'll agree it before Christmas, there will be a stadium under the Christmas tree.

"It will take four or five meetings, because you have to work until the job is done.

"It's like the worker who goes into the factory to make spare parts, and stays until he's fulfilled what he has to do.

"If you don't finish in time, you do unpaid overtime."