Napoli fail to show up for Juventus clash amid virus

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - The Serie A clash between Juventus and Napoli, which was scheduled to be held on Sunday, could not be played as the away team did not go to Turin due to coronavirus cases in their squad.

Napoli were not allowed to go to the Allianz Stadium in Turin by local health authorities after two players, Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas, along with a staff member contracted the virus.

Juventus' squad took the pitch but there was no opponent on the field and the game was called off by the referee.

Juventus are expected to be awarded a 3-0 win for Sunday's game.

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis called on Juventus and Serie A to postpone the match but Serie A rejected to call the game off.

If a club have eligible 13 players (including at least one goalkeeper), the game can go ahead, according to coronavirus protocols.

“The sporting rules are equally clear and say that if a team does not show up, they face disciplinary sanctions. The Sporting Judge will speak tomorrow, and based on his decision, there will be further reflections,” Juventus President Andrea Agnelli said.

“It is evident that the fact that a team does not reach a stadium to play a planned match does not give a great image of Italian football, but we are provincial and we care little about what happens outside our borders, without considering the damage we do to the football internationally.”

*Writing by Muhammed Enes Calli