• Reaction

‘Nobody thanked Napoli for preventing Ronaldo getting COVID-19’

Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus, Napoli, Serie A
Getty Images
Advertisement

Cristiano Ronaldo’s health wasn’t put at risk thanks to the actions of Napoli, says the president of the Campania region of Italy.

A bizarre scene at the Allianz Stadium recently saw Ronaldo and his Juventus teammates present themselves for a Serie A match against Napoli, despite the visitors never showing up.

The local health authority (ASL) in Naples prevented the Partenopei from traveling to Turin after two players tested positive for coronavirus. Despite their unfortunate circumstances, Andrea Agnelli accused them of breaking protocol.

The Juventus president asked for a 3-0 win by default in response to Napoli’s violation. Recent reports in the Italian press, however, have suggested the fixture could take place at a later date with the Azzurri being deducted a point. A final decision could be made by next week.

But Vincenzo De Luca is very unimpressed by Agnelli’s remarks and pointed out how Napoli may have spared his star player’s health by not playing the game.

“Nobody has thanked us for preventing Cristiano Ronaldo from getting the virus,” the president of the Campania region of Italy said on a Facebook video.

“Try and imagine it. If Napoli had traveled with several positive cases in their squad like Genoa did. If Ronaldo had got the virus a week later, we would have hit the front pages even of the New York Times.

Coronavirus, il punto della situazione

🔴#CORONAVIRUS: Facciamo il punto della situazione sull'andamento dell'epidemia e sulle misure che intendiamo mettere in campo per fermare i contagi.Seguiteci:

Geplaatst door Vincenzo De Luca op Vrijdag 9 oktober 2020

“The protocol is no good when it comes to health and the laws. Napoli didn’t travel because the ASL decided that and Juventus ended up going to play with the ball boys.

“The players, from a health point of view, are subjected to the same rules as all Italian citizens. And, therefore, Napoli will not play because they have been quarantined by the ASL.

“Juventus, through the words of president Andrea Agnelli, made a painful statement, embarrassing. ‘Since there’s a protocol, we will go to the stadium,’ they declared.

“The Juventus president is a man who is passionate, not only about football, but philosophy too. And that’s why I remind him of what Schopenauer said: ‘Honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost.’

“If I had behaved in this way, I would have felt that I lost my sporting honor.

“We are talking about sport, sporting values, sporting loyalty, honest competition and respect for our opponents.

“But how can we reduce ourselves to the pettiness of pretending to win a match when the antagonists are quarantined by the ASL and not by their own will?”

x