Juventus Defender Tests Positive to Coronavirus

Juventus defender, Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus, the Serie A club said on Wednesday.

“The footballer, Daniele Rugani, has tested positive for coronavirus-Covid-19 and is currently asymptomatic,” Juve said in a statement.

“Juventus Football Club is currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including those who have had contact with him.”

Rugani has made seven appearances for Juventus this season – the last being in the 2-1 win against Spal on 22 February – but was an unused substitute for Juventus on Sunday in their behind close door victory against Internazionale.

Inter responded to the Rugani news by suspending “all competitive activities”, which includes training.

“Following Juventus FC’s announcement that their player Daniele Rugani has tested positive for Covid-19, FC Internazionale announce that all competitive activities have been suspended until further notice,” a statement read.

“The club is currently taking steps to put all the necessary procedures into place.”

Inter’s Europa League tie against Getafe, originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, had already been suspended. The Getafe president, Ángel Torres, had admitted before the Rugani news broke that the Spanish club would refuse to travel to Milan even if it led to their expulsion from the competition.

Juve are due to take on Lyon in a Champions League quarter-final second leg next week, with European and internaional competition excluded from Italy’s domestic ban on all sport until April 3.

The news of Rugani’s condition could throw more pressure on UEFA to rearrange Juventus’s match with Lyon, with several Europa League matches already affected by the outbreak of the virus.