One of the most crucial ‘Italian derbies’ in decades will be played at an empty ground amid Italy’s coronavirus lockdown
The most keenly anticipated game of the Serie A season will play to an empty stadium on Sunday. It will be a relief to see it played at all.
Juventus were originally supposed to host Internazionale on 1 March, before Italy’s coronavirus outbreak tipped the country’s top division into a timetabling meltdown.
On 27 February, the league’s governing body officially confirmed that the game was going ahead as scheduled but behind closed doors – in line with a government ban on mass public gatherings in several northern regions of Italy. Two days later, the decision was reversed. Juventus v Inter was postponed, as were five other Serie A games: all at less than 36 hours’ notice.