Juventus could force COVID-19-hit Napoli to forfeit match on Sunday

Juventus plans to field a team in Sunday’s game against Napoli despite the fact that their opponents are apparently banned from travelling due to coronavirus infections in their squad.

That could force Napoli to forfeit the match, and lose the Serie A game 3-0.

Juventus, Italy’s defending champions, issued a statement Saturday saying its players will take to the field in Turin tomorrow.

But as two Napoli players have tested positive for COVID-19, Italian media reported that local health authorities prohibited the team from travelling on Saturday and ordered them to self-isolate.

Sunday’s match in Turin has not been officially postponed and the Italian league’s protocol for COVID cases is the same as UEFA rules. If a team has 13 available players, including at least one goalkeeper, the game can go ahead.

Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, just a day after teammate Piotr Zielinski and a squad staff member tested positive.

There has been constant testing at the club after Napoli played Genoa last weekend. More than 20 Genoa players and staff members have tested positive.

Genoa’s match at Torino on Saturday had already been postponed.

Juventus has reported that two staff members have coronavirus but that “these are neither players nor members of the technical or medical staff.”

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