Torino v Parma kicks off Serie A return on June 20

MILAN: Serie A will return after a three-month coronavirusenforced absence on June 20 with Torino hosting Parma in the first of four postponed matches on the opening weekend, the Italian league confirmed on Monday.

The championship will resume with fixtures which were called off when Italian sports was suspended on March 9 because of the coronavirus.

The first match will be 15thplaced Torino versus ninthranked Parma at 7.30pm (1730GMT) on June 20 followed by Hellas Verona, in eighth, versus Cagliari, in 12th, at 9.45pm.

The following day fourthplaced Atalanta will host midtable Sassuolo at 7.30pm while Inter Milan, in third, will be at home against relegationthreatened Sampdoria at 9.45pm.

Most teams have 12 games left to play with 124 matches remaining, to be played in 43 days from June 20 to Aug 2.

After the four catch-up games, the 27th round of action will be played with matches scheduled from Monday, June 22 through to Wednesday, June 24.

Juventus, who are bidding for a ninth consecutive title, are one point ahead of Lazio.

Third-placed Inter Milan are nine points behind the leader with a game in hand.

Maurizio Sarri’s Juventus travel to Bologna for their first game back on Monday with Lazio at Atalanta on Wednesday.

Juventus will host Lazio on July 20 at 9.45pm.

The league has not yet confirmed the dates for the Italian Cup, which is expected to be completed the week before Serie A restarts, with the final on June 17.

The return legs of the semifinals remain to be played with Juventus facing AC Milan and Napoli playing Inter Milan.

Most of the matches will be played at 7.30pm and 9.45pm, because of the summer heat in Italy, with only ten games scheduled earlier at 5.15pm, in the north of the country. — AFP