A legal battle is in the offing after the local health authority confirmed it asked Napoli not to travel to Turin for the Serie A game with Juventus.
The Lega Serie A released a statement this afternoon insisting Napoli had not been able to definitively prove their inability to play tonight’s match.
A legal battle is in the offing after the local health authority confirmed it asked Napoli not to travel to Turin for the Serie A game with Juventus.
The Lega Serie A released a statement this afternoon insisting Napoli had not been able to definitively prove their inability to play tonight’s match.
In that sense, the protocol also used by UEFA remains intact, so if the Partenopei could’ve attended with 13 players including at least one goalkeeper, the game could’ve gone ahead.
Only Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas tested positive within the Napoli squad.
Juve will therefore take to the field tonight with the referees and, after 45 minutes, can leave with Napoli later forfeiting the match 3-0.
However, the ASL (local health authority) in Naples has released another statement following ‘requests for clarification.’
This makes absolutely clear that “there were not the necessary conditions to allow for travel in full safety” because they would’ve had to fly to Turin and therefore come into contact with airport workers, passengers in the hotel, etc.
Napoli have been locked into a ‘fiduciary isolation’ in their Castelvolturno training ground while more tests are taken, because COVID-19 has a long incubation period.
Technically, the Lega Serie A protocol does allow for local health authorities or Government to over-ride their rules if travel is banned.
Napoli hope to make their case via lawyers when this goes to the Disciplinary Commission.
Until that point, as things stand, we won’t know if the game is merely postponed or if Napoli forfeit it 3-0.
The only official statement made by Napoli since Elmas tested positive last night was to deny reports coach Gennaro Gattuso had tested positive.