COVID-19: Napoli blocked from going to Turin for Juventus match

By Agency Reporter

Health authorities in Naples have prohibited Napoli from leaving for Turin after two footballers tested positive for COVID-19.

Both Napoli and Juventus are scheduled to meet Sunday in a Serie A classic.

Italian media reported late on Saturday that the squad’s departure was blocked amid fears of an outbreak in spite of a sequence of negative swab tests.

Napoli have undergone frequent tests after last Sunday’s game with Genoa, where the count of infected footballers reached 17 this week.

The Genoese had their Saturday home game against Torino postponed to a date yet to be set.

Napoli said Piotr Zielinski tested positive on Friday, and Elif Elmas on Saturday, while a staff member also appears to be infected.

Juventus, meanwhile, were also in isolation after announcing two positives late on Saturday.

The club said they are not members of the technical or medical staff.

Atalanta also reported a case, without giving the name of the individual affected, nor did they specify if it was a footballer or a staff member.

A note on the Bergamo side’s website spoke of an asymptomatic case with “a low COVID-19 viral load.”

The ANSA news agency reported that the Saturday press conference of coach Gian Piero Gasperini had been called off.

Atalanta are to host Cagliari on Sunday.