Serie A surprised fans in February when it began postponing matches because of COVID-19. Postponement soon became protocol. The Match Day 25 fixture between Inter Milan and Sampdoria was the first of a long list of postponed matches to come. Two weeks later, Italy’s Prime Minister announced all sports in the country would be postponed.
ROME — Italian soccer clubs, players and fans have banded together to raise millions of euros to support the country’s stretched health system amid the devastating coronavirus outbreak.
Thursday was one of the bleakest days in Italy’s battle against COVID-19 as the death toll rose to 3,405, overtaking China as the highest number of fatalities from the disease in one country.
A state of nationwide lockdown remains in place as the government looks to control the spread of the virus and all sports events have been suspended since March 9.
Juventus regained top spot in Serie A after defeating Inter Milan 2-0 at an empty Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
Serie A resumed play this weekend despite ongoing concerns over the coronavirus, and scenes before the match showed players warming up in a surreal atmosphere.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has questioned whether their smaller rivals Atalanta should have a right to play in the Champions League, saying they lack international history. His comments drew a blunt response from the mayor of Atalanta's home town Bergamo who said the team had earned their place with "sweat and imagination."
The Coppa Italia semifinal second leg between Juventus and AC Milan has been postponed. The coronavirus has been wreaking havoc all across the globe. Other than China, Italy has incurred the most deaths at 79 due to the rapidly spreading virus.
The Serie A season runs the risk of not finishing if more matches are postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, Inter Milan's chief executive Giuseppe Marotta said on Sunday. Inter's match at Juventus, which was to have been played later on Sunday, was one of five which were postponed by Serie A on Saturday.
Italy's Serie A soccer league has confirmed that five matches will be played behind closed doors at the weekend because of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, including the clash between leaders Juventus and third-placed Inter Milan on Sunday.
Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri is struggling to impose his style of play on the Turin side and his frustration came out into the open again after a poor performance in their Champions League defeat to Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday.
In comments that could be viewed as refreshingly honest or a risky public criticism of his players, the chain-smoking 61-year-old said that his team were struggling to grasp the concept of passing the ball around quickly — a style dubbed "Sarri-ball" by his admirers.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus traveled to the hallowed grounds of the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, home of the best women’s club team in Europe and the location of the USWNT’s 2019 Women’s World Cup triumph.
The Italian Old Lady couldn’t live up to the ladies who have made the French stadium one of the Mecca’s of women’s football.
But Ronaldo made a funny face.