March 3 – A high-profile Serie A fixture between Lazio and Torino ended in farce on Tuesday when the visitors failed to show up after local health officials requested the squad be quarantined.
In similar circumstances to Napoli’s no-show against Juventus last October, Lazio turned up at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome despite Torino being stuck in quarantine more than 600km away following a Covid-19 outbreak.
After 45 minutes the game was officially abandoned.
“I could say a lot of things but I’ll keep them to myself. We’ve respected the rules by coming to the stadium,” Lazio sporting director Igli Tare told Sky Italia.
The Torino squad had been instructed to quarantine until midnight on Tuesday after eight players and two staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.
Their match against Sassuolo last Friday was also suspended due to the outbreak, but Italian news agency ANSA reported that the Lega Serie A council had unanimously decided in an urgent meeting that the game in Rome should go ahead as planned.
Torino are now likely to be handed a 3-0 defeat for failing to turn up for the scheduled kick-off, a punishment they are expected to appeal – as Napoli did.
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