Rome -
Is coronavirus the referee of Serie A? Napoli lost this Wednesday in the offices by 3-0 in a match against Juventus that they did not play because they refused to travel, while Cristiano Ronaldo, positive for COVID-19, returned to Italy for a quarantine with a race against the clock.
The competition judge did not accept the argument of "force majeure" put forward by Napoli to justify their absence.
The penalty, in addition to the loss of the match by 3-0, implies the deduction of one point in the standings.
"Napoli has always respected the rules and the law," the club reacted in a message on Twitter, confirming that they will appeal the decision.
Napoli requested the postponement of the match after having to isolate all its players at home, following the instructions of the local health authorities, despite which the League decided to maintain the match of the 3rd round of Serie A as planned.
By not traveling to Turin, Napoli did not comply with the sports protocol that allows a team with 13 'negative' players, including a goalkeeper, to play despite COVID-19.
Two positives in Juve
Although COVID-19 offers three points to Juventus, it also deprives them of their star Cristiano Ronaldo for at least ten days, the duration of the quarantine that the Portuguese must observe after testing positive with his national team.
'CR7' returned to Turin in a medicalized plane, where an ambulance was waiting to take him to his home.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced on Tuesday that the captain of the national team tested positive for COVID-19 after Portugal's draw against France on Sunday in Saint-Denis (0-0) and presented an "asymptomatic" condition.
Ronaldo has been subjected to "the same procedures as any other citizen," said the Director-General of Health in Portugal, Graça Freitas, at a press conference. Before leaving the country, he had to "sign a declaration" to "commit to respecting the quarantine period".
"Transport, under safe conditions, is entirely" his responsibility, she added.
In addition to Ronaldo, Juventus learned on Wednesday of a second positive case, their American midfielder Weston McKennie.
The rest of the 'bianconeri' (negative) had to isolate themselves again in the club's hotel, said Juve in a statement.
Will CR7 be present against Messi?
This isolation process, which Juve had already carried out for a few days after two positives in the club (which did not involve players, coaching staff, or doctors) on October 3, authorizes all players whose tests are negative to train and play matches, but prohibits any contact with the outside world.
Under the current health rules in Italy, the two players will have to isolate themselves for at least ten days and deliver a negative test in order to join their teammates.
In addition to these Italian protocols, the UEFA Champions League protocol states that a player must deliver evidence of not being sick one week before a European match.
If UEFA is inflexible with this point, Ronaldo, who will miss 'La Vecchia Signora's' debut in the Champions League against Dynamo Kyiv on October 20, should deliver a negative test on October 21 to play the match against FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi, a week later.
This weekend, he will not participate in the 4th round of Serie A.
There is one particular match that raises concerns: the derby between Inter Milan and AC Milan on Saturday. Although the 'rossoneri' have recovered Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Inter players have six positives. (D)