Rome (AFP)

Inter Milan president Steven Zhang lashed out at Italian League president Paolo Dal Pino, calling him a "dark clown" for his handling of postponements from Serie A matches linked to the new coronavirus.

"You are probably the biggest and darkest clown I have ever known," said the Chinese businessman on his Instagram account on Monday.

Annoyed by the management of the calendar because of the Covid-19, the owner of the interior club, 28 years old, did not mince his words felt that it was "time" for Paolo Dal Pino to "get up" and "take (its) responsibilities".

In Italy, more than 2,000 people have been infected with the virus and 52 have died since February 22. In Lombardy, the epicenter of the epidemic, 38 deaths have been recorded. As a result, many Series A games have been postponed, causing scheduling problems.

According to the sports director of Inter Beppe Marotta, the teams are not all in the same boat with these calendar changes.

"Some teams have not played for two weeks, while others continue to play without interruption," said Marotta on an Italian television channel.

Faced with these statements, Dal Pino has not yet spoken, but Giovanni Malago, the director of the Italian National Olympic Committee called for general appeasement.

"Health remains the priority before everything else, including football. People are dying and people are getting sick. It is time to stop their feuds," he told La Repubblica.

Since February 16 and a defeat against Lazio Rome (2-1), Inter has not played in the league, its meetings against Sampdoria Genoa and Juventus Turin, originally scheduled behind closed doors, having been postponed.

In the standings, the Interistes find themselves in third place, eight points behind the leader, Lazio Rome, but with two matches behind.

The last match of the Milanese club dates from February 27, in the round of 32 of the Europa League against Ludogorets (2-1), in an empty San Siro stadium.

The next meeting planned for Antonio Conte's men is scheduled for Thursday in Naples, for the return semifinal of the Italian Cup.

© 2020 AFP