Cristiano Ronaldo will not return to Italy amid the coronavirus pandemic after his Juventus teammate Daniele Rugani tested positive for COVID-19.
Ronaldo, the Portugal forward, returned to his homeland to visit his mother, who recently suffered a stroke, before Rugani’s illness was confirmed.
He is now stuck in Madeira and cannot return to Italy, the European country worst hit by coronavirus with over 12,000 cases and a death toll which has passed 827.
Rugani was pictured in the Juventus dressing room alongside Ronaldo and his other teammates after last Sunday’s defeat of Internazionale, and now everyone who came in contact with the 25-year-old defender must be isolated.
His positive test for COVID-19 was announced by Juventus on Wednesday.
“The footballer Daniele Rugani has tested positive for Coronavirus-COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic,” read a statement.
“Juventus Football Club is currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including the census of those who have had contact with him.” Italian authorities have suspended all sport in the country until at least April 3 because of the outbreak, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on Wednesday,
And the Serie A season might be over entirely, the Italian football federation (FIGC) has admitted.s.
“We are evaluating the idea that every league will decide autonomously what to do next,” FIGC president Francesco Ghirelli said after attending a summit on Tuesday.
“The idea is to finish the season by playing all the games, but we have to consider the alternative options too. Among these options are not assigning the Scudetto (league title), assigning it using the current table or organising play-offs.”
If the final table was decided using the current standings, Juventus would be crowned champions after going above Lazio by a point on Sunday.
Cristiano RonaldoJuventus and Italy defender Daniele Rugani told fans 'don't worry, I'm fine' on Wednesday after becoming the first Serie A footballer to test positive for the new coronavirus, reports AFP.
The 25-year-old "is currently asymptomatic," the Italian champions said, but the Turin-based club are "currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including those who have had contact with him."
"I want to reassure all those who are worried about me, I'm fine," Rugani later said on Instagram.
"At this moment, however, I feel even more duty to thank all the doctors and nurses who are struggling in hospitals to cope with this crisis. "I invite everyone to respect the rules, because this virus makes no
distinctions! Let's do it for ourselves, for our loved ones and for those around us."
Rugani is the first top-flight footballer to fall victim to the virus which has killed 827 in Italy, the second most stricken country in the world after China, and infected 12,000 people, including several Serie C players.
