Napoli set to be handed 3-0 loss for failing to show at Juve

Turin: Napoli is likely to be handed a 3-0 loss by the Italian league's judge for failing to show for its Serie A match at Juventus.

Napoli did not travel to Turin for the game after local health authorities ordered the squad into quarantine after two players tested positive for the Coronavirus midfielders Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas.

Juventus followed its regular matchday routine on Sunday and arrived at the stadium for the scheduled 8:45 p.m. (1845 GMT) kickoff.

In somewhat farcical scenes, several players walked out onto the field while a limited number of fans watched from the stands.

It will not be known whether Juventus will be awarded a 3-0 win by default or if the match has simply been postponed until next week's disciplinary commission, where Napoli will make its case.

"The sporting rules are clear and say that if a team does not show up, they face disciplinary sanctions," Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said.

"The Sporting Judge will speak tomorrow, and based on his decision, there will be further reflections. "It is evident that the fact that a team does not reach a stadium to play a planned match does not give a great image of Italian soccer, but we are provincial and we care little about what happens outside our borders, without considering the damage we do to soccer internationally."

Vincenzo Spadafora, Italy's sports minister, said he would also speak about the issue with the heads of the Italian soccer federation and the league, in two meetings already scheduled for Monday.