Coronavirus: Serie A players undergo first tests ahead of training restart

Monday 4 May 2020 16:08, UK

Serie A players underwent their first preparatory tests and medicals ahead of a return to individual training this week.

Clubs were allowed to re-open their training grounds this week after getting the go-ahead from the government as the nation-wide lockdown was partly relaxed on Monday in Italy's "phase two" protocol.

Sassuolo players were the first to get back to training on Monday, with three players and three staff members present at their Mapei Center training ground.

Juventus had a first batch of players undergo tests at their J Medical Center in Turin, including Aaron Ramsey, Juan Cuadrado, Carlo Pinsoglio, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Bernardeschi.

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to fly back into Italy on Monday and will be tested in the coming days alongside other players returning from abroad such as Matthijs de Ligt and Gonzalo Higuain.

Roma also reopened their Trigoria training ground today with Edin Dzeko among the first players to undergo medicals and preparatory tests, which will be completed before the first individual training sessions start on Thursday.

Most Serie A sides have now scheduled players' returns to individual training, with Inter Milan, Atalanta and Bologna expecting to reopen their training camps on Tuesday.

However, all 20 sides are likely to have to wait until May 18 to start their first group training sessions under strict instructions from the Italian Minister of Sport Vincenzo Spadafora.

Serie A sides have reiterated their "unanimous will" to complete the current season, and in their latest conference call on Friday have been presented with two options to resume the season on June 13 or June 20, with the last day of the season falling on August 1 in both scenarios.

However, there is no certainty that the Serie A season will resume, with Juventus top of the paused table, just a point ahead of Lazio.