Italian Minster of Sports Vincenzo Spadafora has confirmed six Serie A matches will be played behind closed doors during Week 26 following the recent coronavirus outbreak in the country’s northern regions.
Organisers have made the decision to play fixtures despite concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19, the specific type of coronavirus that reportedly originated in China.
Spadafora told Tg2 (h/t Football Italia) that six of the 10 Serie A matches scheduled to take place in Week 26 will be held without fans in attendance, including Sunday’s clash between Juventus and Inter Milan:
“Measures are already in force, that prohibit any events until next Sunday. Initially for Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont. Now we have also extended to Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna and Liguria.
“In these regions, the prohibition of sporting events remains, for some events we have given the availability to carry them out behind closed doors.”
Udinese will play Fiorentina behind closed doors in the only Saturday fixture to be impacted. Three other Sunday games will be played in empty stadia: AC Milan vs. Genoa, Parma vs. SPAL and Sassuolo vs. Brescia, as well as Monday’s fixture between Sampdoria and Hellas Verona.
Read Also: Serie A: Football Games Canceled After Second Coronavirus Death
Spadafora added the remaining Serie A fixtures will continue as planned, explaining the measure “has not been extended to the rest of Italy because the conditions for taking serious measures do not exist.”
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