Juventus awarded 3-0 win, Napoli deducted a point for Covid-19 no-show

Juventus have been handed a 3-0 victory and Napoli have been deducted a point after the latter - who said they were prevented from travelling due to Covid-19 restrictions - failed to fulfil their Serie A fixture on October 4.

Serie A’s disciplinary commission made the ruling on Wednesday, with a statement that read: “In the opinion of this sports judge, the case of force majeure is not proven.”

The two sides were supposed to face off at Juve’s Allianz Stadium, and despite Napoli’s protestations that local health authorities did not give them permission to go to Turin after Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas tested positive for the coronavirus, the league said ahead of the game that it would proceed as planned.

The Partenopei’s legal representative, Mattia Grassani, said the club “would have committed a crime” by making the 441-mile journey from Campania to Piedmont.

However, the league said the circumstances did not meet their criteria for postponement in the Covid-19 protocols that have been put in place, and the disciplinary commission were of the same opinion following their investigation into the matter.

Fans were quick to deride the ruling on Twitter, describing it as a “joke,” “ridiculous” and a “horrible decision.”

Others, though, insisted that Napoli had been in the wrong for not following protocols. 

Zielinski, Elmas and a member of staff at Napoli tested positive in the runup to the fixture, having played Genoa the weekend prior.

After that clash, which Napoli won 6-0, Genoa reported a serious outbreak at the club with 17 players and five staff members testing positive for Covid-19.