Rome (AFP)
Serie A medical staff spoke out against a quick return to club training on Saturday after two new Fiorentina players were tested positive for the new coronavirus.
"We, the Serie A doctors, express our great concern about the protection of the health of club staff if training is resumed shortly," they wrote in a statement.
"Consequently, we, the doctors, unanimously recommend not to resume activity until a clear improvement of the emergency situation", Italy being the country most affected in the world after China by the virus with 21,175 cases identified and 1,441 deaths according to the last assessment published on Saturday.
On Saturday, Fiorentina announced two additional cases in its workforce, the Italian striker Patrick Cutrone and the Argentine defender German Pezzella, after a first case diagnosed on Friday with his Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic.
A physiotherapist also tested positive on Saturday. "They had some symptoms. All three tested positive. Their health is good and they are at home in Florence," the Tuscan club wrote in a statement.
Since Thursday, seven players from Sampdoria Genoa - including the most recent, Italian Fabio Depaoli and Polish defender Bartosz Bereszynski-- and one from Juventus have also been declared positive.
The Italian Championship is suspended at least until April 3. But the Italians do not expect to see it resume on this date.
The Association of Italian Players (AIC) denounced the "pressure" that would be exerted by clubs on the players so that they resume training.
"Today in Italy there are still football clubs which are either shamefully irresponsible, either live on Mars, or lack the minimum of dignity," writes the AIC.
© 2020 AFP