Setback for Serie A as two Parma players test positive

MILAN: Two players from Serie A side Parma have tested positive for coronavirus and have been moved into isolation, the club announced on Saturday in another setback to hopes of a season restart in football-mad Italy.

Just two days out from the scheduled go-ahead for group training at clubs, Parma said all members of their squad and staff had been tested through swabs and blood samples.

All came back negative except for two players, who are asymptomatic.

“Both of them were positive on the first test and negative on the second that was performed 24 hours later,” said Parma in a statement.

“The players, both in excellent condition and asymptomatic, have nonetheless been immediately isolated and the club will monitor them constantly.”

Clubs have suggested June 13 as a date for the championship to restart while group training will get underway today.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday said he needs “more guarantees” before the green light can finally be given for the resumption.

However, there are splits over how to proceed.

“Before starting the season, we need a few more guarantees and, speaking to Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadafora, we don’t have those at this moment,” Conte told a televised news conference.

“I hope they can be achieved as soon as possible.”

Many clubs consider that the health protocol, painstakingly drawn up by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), following recommendations of the government’s Technical and Scientific Committee, is impossible to enforce.

Two points are proving particularly problematic.

The first concerns the logistical difficulties for clubs to try and organise a two-week group training period from today.

Players would theoretically have to train together, then eat and sleep at the training centre or a hotel entirely available to the team to avoid any risk of contagion.

Many clubs do not have these facilities.

The second concerns the government insistence on quarantine for the entire team and staff, in the event of a positive test.

Italian clubs favour the German model, where only the infected person is quarantined.