As Italy continues to be hit hard by coronavirus, the illness has officially hit one of the country's top soccer clubs. It was announced on Wednesday that Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus.
The 25-year-old Rugani is the first player from Serie A, the top soccer league in Italy, to be diagnosed with coronavirus. The team released a statement confirming the news, saying it is "activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including the census of those who have had contact with him."
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Rugani played in a game on Sunday against Inter Milan. That game was played in a spectator-less stadium as fears of the virus forced the teams to shut crowds out.
Juventus is currently scheduled to play the second leg of its Champions League round of 16 matchup with Lyon on Tuesday.
Juventus canceled scheduled training regiments last month after it was revealed its Under-23 squad may have been exposed to the virus in a game against a Serie C team. Days after Juve's U-23 team squared off against Pianese, three players and the manager from Pianese tested positive for coronavirus.
Inter Milan also released a statement Wednesday saying the team would suspended all competitive activities until further notice. Inter Milan was originally scheduled to play in Europa League competition on Thursday, but the team's game against Getafe was postponed over coronavirus concerns. That decision was made before Rugani tested positive for COVID-19.
Italy continues to take drastic measures to cut down on the spread of the virus. The country has officially suspended a majority of sporting events, including Series A matches, through April 3.
-- This was originally published by CBS Sports on March 11.
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