March 10 – Italian top-flight football has finally bowed to pressure from the government with the whole of Serie A called off until April 3 because of Covid-19.
All sport has been suspended in the country, the only exceptions for football being UEFA-organised fixtures.
The final Serie A game before the government announcement saw Sassuolo beat Brescia 3-0 behind closed doors in Reggio Emilia on Monday.
After scoring his opening goal Sassuolo striker Francesco Caputo held up a handwritten message on piece of paper, urging fans: “Everything will be fine. Stay at home.”
A few hours later Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a countrywide lockdown.
The unprecedented measures limiting travel and banning public gatherings across the country of over 60 million people came after 97 more deaths took Italy’s toll to 463.
“There is no reason why matches and sporting events should continue and I am thinking of the football championship,” said Conte. “I’m sorry but all the fans must take note of it.”
The decree still allows the possibility of organising matches under international jurisdiction behind closed doors, such as Champions League and Europa League ties. Already Roma’s Europa League tie against Sevilla on March 19 will be played behind closed doors whilst outside Italy the same will apply in the Champions League this Wednesday when Paris St Germain take on Borussia Dortmund and in the Europa League when Olympiacos play Wolves on March 13.
Since Sunday, there had been growing calls across Italy to stop sports competitions and in particular Serie A, with lower leagues already halted.
Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora had called for the suspension of Serie A while Italian Footballers’ Association president Damiano Tommasi tweeted that “stopping football is the most useful thing for our country right now”.
The new decree means Serie A has been stopped in its tracks with 26 out of 38 rounds completed amid concerns over getting the season finished. At least three rounds of matches will need to be rearranged after April 3 before the end of the season scheduled for May 24. But there is little room for manoeuvre.
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