Tuesday’s Serie A fixture between Udinese and Salernitana descended into farce with the away side prevented from travelling by their local health authority but the league refusing to postpone the match.
Three Salernitana players tested positive for coronavirus ahead of the game and, although they were prepared to travel, they were ordered not to do so.
The league, though, refused to postpone the fixture because the number of cases did not meet its threshold, meaning Udinese had to continue as if the contest was going ahead while knowing their opponents would not turn up.
The match #UdineseSalernitana was not held due to @OfficialUSS1919 failing to show up#SerieA💎 #WeAreCalciopic.twitter.com/Ubg1qCRSlq— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 21, 2021
Forty-five minutes after what was supposed to have been the kick-off time, the referee officially called off proceedings.
A message on Serie A’s Twitter feed read: “The match #UdineseSalernitana was not held due to @OfficialUSS1919 failing to show up.”
The same scenario occurred last year in a contest between Juventus and Napoli. Juve were originally awarded a 3-0 win and Napoli docked a point after they did not attend the game but the decision was overturned on appeal and the match rearranged.
‘Maybe I’ll be signed by Wrexham, who knows? English football would suit me – if an offer came, I wouldn’t think twice, I’d go immediately’ Euro 2024 cult hero reveals his UK dream
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023
