A number of Juventus and Napoli players will miss the upcoming Serie A clash between the two sides due to COVID.
Last season, the match between the two Italian giants was called off after Napoli’s Local Health Authority refused to let the squad travel up to Turin for their away match on October 4 2020. Serie A refused to call the game off and the Bianconeri were awarded a win by default, before the Partenopei successfully appealed the decision and forced a re-match.
Whilst it seems incredibly unlikely that the upcoming match between Juventus and Napoli will be postponed, a variety of players in both squads will be forced to miss the game after testing positive for COVID.
In the Bianconeri camp, three first team players have tested positive for the virus, with the latest being veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini. The other two who will be sidelined for the match are Arthur and Carlo Pinsoglio.
🔴#Chiellini positivo al COVID-19 // Chiellini has tested positive for COVID-19
— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) January 1, 2022
For Napoli, three players are out after testing positive for COVID and two are in isolation due to possible infections. The absent players are Victor Osimhen, Eljif Elmas, and Hirving Lozano.
Lorenzo Insigne and Fabian Ruiz have recently recovered from the virus, but they are likely to be in poor physical condition after missing a number of training sessions. Kevin Malcuit and Andrea Petagna are also self-isolating after recently coming into contact with a person who tested positive.
With the match between the two teams scheduled for Thursday evening, things could get worse as next week develops.
I bet ADL will pull another cowardly move and not send the bus. Last season we had 10 players out with covid and still man up and took to the field. I have nothing against Napoli but why anyone would want to play under this petty vindictive owner is beyond me.