Napoli

Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.

A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.

"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.

"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.

"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."

The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.

"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.

"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.

"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."

After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).

Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.

"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.

"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."

The 55-year-old suggested that the tournament gave him the opportunity to avoid injuries to players and make assessments on others as he rested everyone who started last weekend's 1-0 win at Torino.

The result of Conte's selection was a 3-1 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico, with Tijjani Noslin scoring a hat-trick to knock the visitors out of the competition.

"We made a very well-considered choice, we have a long season ahead of us. We can't make the sign of the cross and hope that no one gets injured," Conte told reporters.

"These are matches where we wanted to make assessments. After this match you will make your assessments, I will make mine, and the club will make its assessments. Evaluations are subjective and mine are the most important."

Serie A leaders Napoli face Lazio again on Sunday, this time at home, and are four points ahead of their fifth-placed visitors.

"It will definitely be a different game, we'll be playing at home and in a different competition," said Conte.

"Lazio is definitely a very good team and also equipped to play in the Europa League. They have a valuable squad as demonstrated again today. We will try to play our game."

Despite the departure of star winger Khvicha Kvaratskelia earlier in the week, Napoli made it six straight wins with victory over Atalanta.

A 1-0 defeat last Sunday to Lazio, who also knocked Napoli out of the Coppa Italia three days before, saw Conte's side lose their place at the top of Serie A, leaving them two points behind new leaders Atalanta.

Napoli have lost their last two games and have not recorded three defeats in a row in all competitions since November and December 2023 (defeat in the Champions League v Real Madrid and then in Serie A v Inter and Juventus).

However, Udinese's last win against Napoli in Serie A came back in April 2016, winning 3-1 at home; since then, the Partneopei have won 13 and drawn three of their 16 league meetings against them.

Conte was asked what those two Lazio losses have left behind and how his side will move on from the two successive defeats.

"Zero points and elimination from the Cup, more than this they cannot leave," Conte told a press conference.

"We start again, always in the same way as when you win, by working, working, working. The mentality must continue to grow, the falls must help us reinforce this mentality.

"Tomorrow we will see, after a crash, what answer we will have."

Conte will be without winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Georgian facing some time on the sidelines after suffering a knee sprain, but the manager was giving little away about his formation.

"[On Saturday],  you'll see, I haven't decided who will take to the pitch yet," Conte said.

"You will see the choices and what kind of contribution everyone will make. We still have a training session in the morning at the hotel.

"We are trying different formations, this week we have tried many and then we will see which one will be the best for this team."

Udinese began the season brightly, with three wins in their opening four games putting them top of the standings, but they have since collected just three wins in 11 and have slipped down to ninth place.

They did get their first win in six in their most recent game at Monza, and Conte will not be taking Udinese lightly, despite going unbeaten in 11 Serie A games as a manager against them (W9 D2). 

"They started very strong, then they slowed down, but they won the last game," Conte said.

"They are very strong physically, for years they have made these choices, they go for very physical, fast, resistant players, they are a very good team.

"The coach is in his first year here but he is doing well, we will need respect and we will have to be in the best of our condition."

Napoli arrived in Turin on the back of a three-match winning streak in Serie A but fell short of capitalising on several good chances.

Conte's side came closest to snatching a winner, with Scott McTominay's long-range shot pushed away by Michele Di Gregorio in the first half before Romelu Lukaku failed to pounce on the rebound.

The former Inter, Chelsea and Tottenham head coach acknowledged a hard-fought point, though still saw room for improvement at Allianz Stadium.

"I realise the difficulty of getting a draw away to Juventus, a team that was 18 points away from Napoli last season," Conte told DAZN.

"We worked on this system, I am moderately satisfied with the defence, but we could’ve done far better in attack and I think we had the clearest scoring opportunities."

Striker Lukaku struggled against Juve, failing to have a single shot and managing just 18 touches before being substituted in the closing stages.

"I think we did it well with the midfielders. Romelu still needs to get into the kind of shape that I require," Conte said.

"I had asked for consistency and it was a good performance in terms of focus, but we can and must do better when we have the ball, as there were some favourable situations."

Reflecting on his past tenure at Juve from 2011 to 2014, Conte acknowledged the challenge of playing at Allianz Stadium.

"I know it is not easy to play here, which is why I made this stadium a fortress during my time," he concluded.

Napoli host Monza in next round of games after they face Palermo in the second round of Coppa Italia on Thursday.

Goals from Matteo Politano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Napoli to a 2-0 home win over Monza on Sunday, taking them to 13 points from their first six league games under Conte.

Having gone through three head coaches as they finished a dismal 10th as defending champions last season, Napoli have now kept as many Serie A clean sheets under Conte (four) as they managed in their previous 31 outings in the competition.

They have also managed three successive shutouts for the first time since February 2023 and are guaranteed to end matchday six at the summit of Serie A.

Conte, however, says there is much work to be done and has warned the Partenopei's lack of European football, while allowing them more rest time, denies them a chance to build momentum.

"There is an advantage and a disadvantage of not playing in Europe – the advantage is that you can train the team all week, the disadvantage is that the squad is not as competitive as those that do play in Europe," Conte told DAZN.

"Having said that, we continue to work, we do it to make people's dreams come true but the reality is that we are too far away to make flights of fancy.

"We need to sweat every game, like we did today, and grow."

Having led Juventus, Chelsea and Inter to league titles soon after taking the reins, Conte knows there are grand expectations around his Napoli tenure but says they are in the early stages of a major rebuild.

"Not even three months have passed, the president [Aurelio De Laurentiis] is the first to have spoken of a total reconstruction," he added.

"[Victor] Osimhen and [Piotr] Zielinski left while I hear people talking about certain things.

"I know that there are high expectations for me because I have done important things. Let's let the fans dream, but I have to keep my feet on the ground.

"I hear people talking who know nothing about Scudettos. We have to speed up to get Napoli where they deserve to be, which is not in 10th place."

After narrowly edging past Serie B side Modena on penalties in the Coppa Italia first round in his first game, Conte followed it up with a 3-0 defeat to Verona in his first league match.

Since then, Napoli are unbeaten, winning six of their next seven games, only dropping points in a goalless draw with the Italian's former club, Juventus.

However, despite their impressive form, Conte is wary of getting too carried away.

"We are with the 'work in progress' sign, it cannot be otherwise after only three months," Conte told a press conference ahead of Sunday's game at Empoli.

"Otherwise, we would all underestimate the path that needs to be taken in a reconstruction phase like ours. We're just getting started.

"Victories are built, they are not invented, but what I feel I can guarantee is to rebuild solid foundations that can last over time."

The international break has left Conte without midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, injured while playing with Slovakia.

Lobotka has started all seven league games under Conte and was an ever-present in the starting side last season, but the manager is confident that Scotland international Billy Gilmour is ready for what will be his first Serie A start.

"It's not a very serious problem but we have to face it and recover, obviously I'm sorry because he was expressing himself at very high levels, but at the same time it will be an opportunity to see Gilmour," Conte said.

"Billy knows what he has to do, he hasn't trained only in these two days, but from the beginning. It changes little, the characteristics are very similar. If Gilmour hadn't been there it would have been different."

Napoli's bid to remain on top will face a stern test away to Empoli. The Tuscan side have lost only once this season, and have the second-best defensive record in Serie A, conceding four goals in their seven games.

"We are talking about a team that suffered their only defeat before the break, in the last minutes and on a difficult pitch, against Lazio at the Olimpico," Conte said.

"It is precisely in these matches that the spirit of sacrifice, according to the Empoli players, becomes an important weapon for them.

"I will not tolerate a spirit of sacrifice inferior to that of Empoli."

Romelu Lukaku's second-half goal handed Napoli a 1-0 win over Roma on Sunday.

That victory sent Napoli back to the summit of Serie A, with Conte's side one point ahead of Atalanta, Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio, while Juventus are only four points back in a six-team title race.

Napoli needed to get back to winning ways after a draw against Inter and a 3-0 loss to Atalanta before the international break, and Conte insists his team must sharpen up.

"Before the match, I told the lads not to look at the table, but to focus on ourselves and improving what we are working on," Conte told Sky Sport Italia.

"I maintain that now too because we need to take a series of steps to raise the level.

"I was satisfied with the performance for a good 65 minutes today, we could’ve taken more of our chances and were up against a strong Roma who have great players.

"Roma were also making their debut under a new coach and therefore were very eager to prove themselves, but we still should've dealt with the final 15-20 minutes better, as we sat too deep and made it complicated for ourselves."

Roma, playing under new boss Claudio Ranieri, came close to equalising when Artem Dovbyk hit the woodwork with a header. 

Ranieri came out of retirement to take charge of Roma following Ivan Juric's dismissal earlier in November, though the visitors had just six shots and accumulated only 0.6 expected goals (xG) at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

"If we look back, we have some problems and that is why I was called. We were up against a team that is fighting to win the Scudetto," Ranieri told Sky Sport Italia.

"Having said all of that, I am happy with the performance from my players. We made some mistakes that we will talk about during the week, but the hunger, the determination to get back on track was there.

"We have a lot of work to do, but I feel positive.

"We know there is work to be done, we have to focus on reacting rather than sitting there feeling sorry for ourselves.

"The [players] need the right character to help themselves and then others. Naturally, when I arrived, the team was a little closed up, but I think we started to open up a bit by the second half."

With the outbreak of COVID-19 rapidly spreading across the globe, it has resulted in the postponement of competitions worldwide as governments attempt to combat the pandemic.

A small number of events still went ahead, but sports stars, teams and indeed supporters were otherwise left to find other means of entertainment.

With the number of confirmed cases worldwide now totalling over 155,000, we round up all the latest news and updates.

Germany's prestige friendly with Italylater this month became the latest football fixture to bite the dust, with the majority of upcoming international matches having now been wiped out.

More major organisations have halted all footballing activities until a later date, including Qatar, Moroccoand Egypt.

A small number of competitions, most notably the A-League, Russian Premier League and Mexico's Liga MX, did manage to go ahead as planned.

Indeed, NRL games also avoided the cut, as did a handful of Super Rugby matches before an indefinite ban was put in place later in the day.

Another competition to fall was Australia's one-day international series against New Zealand, which was already being played behind closed doors.

With New Zealand's government introducing strict protocols to attempt to slow the spread of the virus, the Black Caps – along with Super Rugby side Highlanders – returned home from Australia and Argentina respectively in order to beat the new restrictions, which will mean any new arrival to the country, even if they are a citizen, has to self-isolate for 14 days.

With the top-four tiers of English football being shelved until at least early April, there was plenty of focus on the National League as six games were given the green light.

There was some controversy in Argentina as River Plate's Copa Superligaclash with Atletico Tucuman was suspended after the home side refused to open their stadium.

Independiente's tie with Velez Sarsfield was played out in full, albeit behind closed doors, with the hosts claiming a 1-0 victory.

In Italy, Napoliurged their supporters to sing from their balconies in unison as Fiorentina's Patrick Cutrone and two more Sampdoriaplayers tested positive for COVID-19.

Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy revealed a negative test result after recently self-isolating, but Carlo Ancelottiand Angelo Ogbonna questioned the Premier League's handling of the outbreak, while Jordan Pickford denied reports he is self-isolating.

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady, meanwhile, claimed the competition should be "void" – a suggestion Liverpoollegend Jamie Carragher quickly dismissed.

The lack of football did not stop certain clubs from keeping supporters entertained, though, with LaLiga side Leganes posting live updates of a fictitious match against Real Valladolid, which they won 2-1.

Perhaps inspired by their Spanish counterparts, Southamptongot Manchester City involved in an online game of noughts and crosses to help fill the void.

The downtime also gave football stars a chance to recuperate, with Sergio Ramos and Alexis Sanchez among those to post images of their extra-curricular activities.

Others, such as Liverpoolgoalkeeper Alisson and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, opted to use social media to educate their followers on how to properly wash their hands, while Barcelonasuperstar Lionel Messi used his profile to echo the sentiments of Cristiano Ronaldo in calling for people to follow the guidance of health organisations.

As Ronaldo and Jurgen Klopp were praised by the World Health Organisation for "protecting people from coronavirus", former United States president Barack Obama hailed a host of NBA stars – including Giannis Antetokounmpoand Zion Williamson – for donating large amounts to help support arena staff during the league's hiatus.

UFC superstar Conor McGregor labelled the pandemic "a stupid f****** virus", but later moved to clarify his aunt did not die after contracting the disease after previously suggesting as such.

And in more positive news, Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe revealed his country still plan for the 2020 Olympic Games to go ahead in Tokyo, starting in late July.

The International Olympic Committee will have the final say, but ABE is confident the Games will be staged "without problem".

Will tournaments be completed when conditions are suitable? Will things finish as they are? Will the campaign be declared null and void?

With the help of Opta, we look back over the previous 10 seasons to see who would have been crowned champions if the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga had stopped where there are now.

Aguer-no!

It was an iconic moment in Premier League history. Sergio Aguero scored Manchester City's second stoppage-time goal as they came from behind to defeat QPR 3-2 and clinch their first top-flight title in 44 years, beating crestfallen arch-rivals Manchester United to the trophy on the final day of the season.

However, if the campaign had been stopped where it is now it would have been United who were celebrating due to a one-point advantage.

It is the only occasion since 2009-10 that the team on top after 29 matchdays has not won the Premier League.

Atleti's title wiped out

Atletico Madrid incredibly broke the Barcelona and Real Madrid duopoly in LaLiga in 2013-14, with Diego Godin salvaging a draw at Camp Nou on the final day to ensure they finished top of the pile.

However, it was local rivals Real Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, who sat three points clear after 27 games of the season, meaning Diego Simeone's crowning achievement would not have occurred.

The only other instance of a team being displaced in the final 11 matches came in 2009-10, when Madrid sat ahead of Barca on goal difference but ended up seeing Pep Guardiola's men go on to win LaLiga for a second straight season.

Juventus dominance broken up

Eight straight Serie A titles have seen Juventus create history in Italy, but they would have only managed five if the previous seasons stopped after 26 games – the total the majority of clubs have completed in 2019-20.

The Bianconeri went undefeated under Antonio Conte in 2011-12, although it was Milan who topped the table at this point in the campaign, meaning Massimiliano Allegri would have won successive Scudetti at San Siro.

Maurizio Sarri would also not have had to have waited until winning the Europa League with Chelsea last year for his first major title.

Sarri's Napoli only surrendered top spot to Juve on matchday 27 in 2017-18 and they failed to recover it, missing out on their best chance to finish top since the Diego Maradona era.

QSI off to the perfect start

The landscape of Ligue 1 changed dramatically when Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought Paris Saint-Germain in June 2011, although no silverware was added to the Parc des Princes trophy cabinet in the first season following the takeover.

However, they would have been crowned champions had the 2011-12 season finished after 28 games, denying a Montpellier side powered by the goals of Olivier Giroud an unlikely first Ligue 1 title.

There would have been bad news for PSG in 2014-15, though, as the trophy would have gone to Hubert Fournier's Lyon due to a one-point margin.

Bordeaux would have made it back-to-back titles in 2009-10, too, with Marseille having made the most of a collapse that saw Laurent Blanc's side slip from first to sixth over the final 10 matches.

Bundesliga business as usual

What changes with the Bundesliga title winners if you stop the previous 10 seasons after 25 games? Nothing.

Bayern Munich would have won eight championships to Borussia Dortmund's two.

Competitions including the Premier League, the NBA and Formula One were off as sport attempts to combat the spread of the virus.

There have been over 160,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,000 deaths worldwide.

Without work to keep them busy, athletes were finding other ways to entertain themselves - and often posting evidence online.

Tyson Fury would not have been in boxing action this weekend, as it is just weeks since his stunning world heavyweight title defeat of Deontay Wilder, but he was still impacted by coronavirus.

The Briton had been set to run the Liverpool Half Marathon but was advised not to, amid the crisis.

That did little to stop Fury, though, who continued with the run at home instead, dressed as Batman with strength and conditioning coach Kristian Blacklock as his sidekick Robin.

In the United States, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been vocal in bemoaning his boredom while the NBA is paused, but the world received evidence of how he has been using his time.

The Greek Freak's girlfriend uploaded a video of the reigning MVP playing Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water on guitar, and the Milwaukee Bucks ace replied: "If anyone wants a guitarist for their group, I'm free. Inbox me for booking."

Elsewhere, Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stayed active this weekend.

His popstar girlfriend Perrie Edwards - a member of Little Mix - posted a video of the pair dancing at home with the caption: "Precautionary self isolation can be fun!"

Football's most famous popstar WAG had also featured in a social media post on Saturday.

David Beckham had been anticipating Inter Miami's first home match against his former club LA Galaxy before the 2020 MLS season was suspended.

Beckham instead took his family to see his expansion club's stadium, though, and wife Victoria was enjoying herself as the tannoy blasted out Spice Girls songs.

Robert Lewandowski and Gabriel Jesus shared clips of their workouts, but Dries Mertens' was a little different.

The Napoli star was filmed lifting a giant wine bottle in his exercises, posting the video with the caption: "My greatest advice in life, 'A little bit of wine is the solution to a lot of problems'."

And Barcelona B midfielder Riqui Puig joined a campaign to keep people in their homes in Spain, skilfully juggling toilet roll in an apparent reference to the stockpiling prompted by the virus.

Further measures to prevent the spread of the virus were taken on Tuesday, affecting a plethora of sports and leagues.

More events were subject to postponements, while games taking place in empty arenas will become a regular sight in the coming weeks.

Here we look at the sporting decisions announced as the world attempts to tackle the outbreak.

In Germany, the rearranged Bundesliga match between rivals Borussia Monchengladbach and Cologne, which was originally cancelled due to Storm Ciara, will now be played behind closed doors on Wednesday.

All sporting activity in Italy is suspended until April 3 by the country's Olympic Committee, in a decision pending government ratification made on Monday. In a statement, the committee conceded it does not have jurisdiction over international competitions. Following that, it was confirmed the Champions League clash between Barcelona and Napoli on March 18 will go ahead behind closed doors. The Italian club insisted reports claiming they wanted the match to be postponed were "fake news".

Wales will follow the advice of Italian authorities on whether Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey will be allowed to leave the country to take part in their home matches with Austria and the United States later this month, amid the lockdown on travel in Italy.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport released a statement insisting there was "no rationale" to postponing sporting events at this stage in the United Kingdom. Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney said the message sporting authorities had received from the government was "let's not panic".

Former Manchester United captain, Salford City co-owner and influential pundit Gary Neville has declared he is not in support of matches behind closed doors. "If it's necessary to shut down stadiums the associations must find a way of delaying the season and playing the games when it is safe to do so to protect the revenues for clubs that require this income to survive," he tweeted.

Matches in Poland's top flight, the Ekstraklasa, will be played without supporters until further notice. The Europa League final is scheduled to be played in Gdansk on May 27.

Ticket sales for Northern Ireland's away Euro 2020 play-off match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on March 26 have been suspended amid fears over the outbreak.

The owner of Championship club Nottingham Forest, Evangelos Marinakis, has confirmed he has contracted COVID-19. He wrote on Instagram: "The virus has 'visited' me and I felt obliged to let the public know. I feel good as I take all the necessary measures and I discipline to the doctors' instructions."

Further measures to prevent the spread of the virus were taken on Tuesday, affecting a plethora of sports and leagues.

More events were subject to postponements, while games taking place in empty arenas will become a regular sight in the coming weeks.

Here we look at the sporting decisions announced as the world attempts to tackle the outbreak.

In France, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 games will be played behind closed doors until April 15. France's minister for sport Roxana Maracineanu had on Monday said games could be played with a limit of 1,000 fans, but the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) confirmed on Tuesday that no fans will be permitted. Earlier, Maracineanu called for fans to show "responsibility" and avoid "any damaging impact on public order" when Paris Saint-Germain play Borussia Dortmund behind closed doors in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The friendly between Germany and Italy, set to take place on March 31 in Nuremberg, will now be played behind closed doors, the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed. Additionally, there will be no fans at the Bundesliga game between Hoffenheim and Hertha Berlin on March 14.

Also in Germany, the rearranged Bundesliga match between rivals Borussia Monchengladbach and Cologne, which was originally cancelled due to Storm Ciara, will now be played behind closed doors on Wednesday.

Gladbach CEO Stephan Schippers expressed his concern at a news conference, saying: "From a commercial perspective, you can't plan for something like this. 

"We will lose €2million per game. We have insurance against games that are called off, but not if they are played behind closed doors. That will hurt all clubs, including Borussia, financially.

"Fans have the right to be reimbursed. The settlement process will be discussed, but for now we need to see if more games will also follow. In that sense, we will find the right solution."

All sporting activity in Italy is suspended until April 3 by the country's Olympic Committee. In a statement, the committee conceded it does not have jurisdiction over international competitions. Following that, it was confirmed the Champions League clash between Barcelona and Napoliat Camp Nou on March 18 will go ahead behind closed doors. The Italian club insisted reports claiming they wanted the match to be postponed were "fake news".

The PGA of America and PGA Tour have rejected suggestions the US PGA Championship, which is to be held from May 14-17 at TPC Harding Park, could be moved from San Francisco after this week's tennis tournaments in Indian Wells were cancelled. 

"They [PGA of America officials] are fully planning on proceeding with the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said. "There is no plan at this point in time for the PGA Championship to be held here. It's going to be held at TPC Harding Park."

However, the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas, which was scheduled for April 3-5 in Austin, is postponed and will instead take place in November.

In the first indication that coronavirus could impact the NCAA men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, in the United States, the Ivy League announced its postseason tournament is cancelled. Yale have been declared Ivy League champions and will represent it in March Madness.

Wales will follow the advice of Italian authorities on whether Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey will be allowed to leave the country to take part in their home matches with Austria and USA later this month, amid the lockdown on travel in Italy.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport released a statement insisting there was "no rationale" to postponing sporting events at this stage in the United Kingdom. Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney said the message sporting authorities had received from the government was "let's not panic".

Matches in Poland's top flight, the Ekstraklasa, will be played without supporters until further notice. The Europa League final is scheduled to be played in Gdansk on May 27.

Ticket sales for Northern Ireland's away Euro 2020 play-off match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on March 26 have been suspended amid fears over the outbreak.

The Euro 2020 play-off match between the Republic of Irelandand Slovakia in Bratislava on March 26 will be played with no fans present on the instruction of the Slovakian government, with all supporters who bought tickets to be refunded.

The owner of Greek side Olympiacos and Championship club Nottingham Forest, Evangelos Marinakis, has confirmed he has contracted COVID-19. He wrote on Instagram: "The virus has 'visited' me and I felt obliged to let the public know. I feel good as I take all the necessary measures and I discipline to the doctors' instructions."

Serie A side Napoli were planning to resume training on Wednesday, despite being warned it would be dangerous with Italy in lockdown due to COVID-19.

But with more than 6,000 deaths in Italy, Napoli have delayed their training comeback amid Serie A's hiatus.

"Napoli announces that sporting activity has been suspended until further notice," the club tweeted.

"The date when training will be resumed will be established in due course depending on the evolution of the COVID-19 emergency situation."

Globally, there have been over 378,300 cases and at least 16,490 deaths.

There has been no sport in Italy since March 9 as a result of the spread of COVID-19.

The virus has killed 4,032 in the country, more than any other nation, with the north particularly hard hit. 

Damiano Tommasi, president of the Italian Players' Union (AIC), stated it would be dangerous for players to return to work with a lockdown still imposed.

Yet Cagliari will train with players split into groups on Monday and Napoli will be back on the training field two days later. 

"SSC Napoli announces that the team will resume training at the Technical Center on Wednesday 25 March with a morning session." the club stated on Friday.

Lazio are also reportedly preparing to train next week.

Sport in Italy has been on lockdown since March 9 due to the spread of COVID-19, with most domestic leagues across the globe now suspended.

There have been 4,825 deaths in Italy as a result of the virus, the highest tally of any nation.

However, Cagliari and Napoli are among the clubs to say training will resume in the coming week, while Lazio are also said to be planning on returning.

Cairo expressed his frustration at those plans in an interview with Turin paper La Stampa.

"If I think back to the Lega meeting on March 10, there were still those who talked about training and returning to play," Cairo said.

"Those speeches, to be heard now, seem [like they're] from another planet.

"I said, 'If we do not take drastic action, moving fans will also contribute to increasing the infection of others'.

"It seems foolish to me to argue a thesis on the basis of contagion data. Saying 'my region has no problems' with such a changing situation isn't a good explanation.

"Meanwhile, there are 16 clubs who don't want to think about [returning to training]."

Asked why he thinks some teams want to train, Cairo replied: "I guess for sporting interests. Perhaps to take advantage of the preparation."

Cairo also said it was "inevitable" clubs will have to ask players to take pay cuts during the crisis and believes the only way to complete the season is to have matches behind closed doors.

"Football is now more united, it is not time for cunning. If the championship ever resumes, it will be played behind closed doors," he said.

De Laurentiis attended a Lega Serie A general assembly in Milan on Wednesday, meaning other club bosses may be forced to quarantine ahead of the new season.

It was the first physical gathering organised by the league following months of virtual meetings during the coronavirus pandemic.

A Napoli statement read: "SSC Napoli announces that president Aurelio De Laurentiis tested positive for COVID-19 following the swab carried out yesterday."

The 2020-21 campaign is due to begin on September 19, with Napoli in action at Parma the following day.

Maradona – arguably football's greatest ever player – died at the age of 60 after a suspected heart attack, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Wednesday.

Argentina and Napoli great Maradona was discharged from hospital a fortnight ago following brain surgery, having undergone a routine operation for a subdural haematoma after the World Cup winner was admitted to hospital due to concerns over anaemia and dehydration.

Reid came up against Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata head coach Maradona on the international stage and he told Stats Perform News: "He is like, in Argentina and Napoli – Naples – he is like God. He is like the King, royalty and that's Diego Maradona.

Englishman Reid also recalled Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal and his stunner against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Hailed by many as the greatest goal of all time, Maradona picked up the ball inside his own half and dribbled past four England players before calmly rounding Peter Shilton in the quarter-final clash – Reid one of the players left behind during the mesmerising run.

The moment of magic arrived four minutes after Maradona handled the ball and scored as Argentina eventually went on to claim the World Cup 34 years ago in Mexico.

"Well, he cheated, he cheated in the first goal," Reid said. "The second was an artist at work, at the best of his ability. I got to talk to him – through an interpreter – on a couple of occasions. He was a very warm human being and I think his legacy – I think he was a flawed character, I think his drug abuse was well known and that might have caught up with him.

"But, I tend to go on the positives, on what he did on the football pitch; and what he did for the nation; and what he did for the likes of Napoli and Boca Juniors. I mean, you watch a game for Boca Juniors and there's still flags for him and there's flags in Naples about him. I mean the legacy is magnificent. So yeah, a flawed character, but was that because he didn't get any privacy?

"Don't forget he was born in the slums of Buenos Aires and he made his way up to the pinnacle of his career. You've got to give him all the credit in the world for that. Yeah, we are all human beings and we have all got faults. I tend to look at his plus points, which is [that] he was one of the greatest players to ever walk the planet."

Maradona, who went on to coach his country at the 2010 World Cup, had been hospitalised just days after turning 60.

He appeared in a fragile state when he briefly made an appearance as his Gimnasia side played a match on the evening of his birthday last month.

Maradona won 91 caps for Argentina between 1977 and 1994, scoring 34 goals at international level.

He started his career with Argentinos Juniors before joining Boca Juniors and went on to play for Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys before returning to Boca in 1995.

Maradona had the best years of his club career in Italy, playing a massive part in Napoli winning the Serie A title in the 1986-87 and 1989-90 seasons.

Playmaker Maradona also lifted the UEFA Cup with Napoli in 1989 and he won three trophies during his time at Barca – including the Copa del Rey in 1983.

Maradona also had stints in charge of Textil Mandiyu, Racing Club, Al-Wasl, Fujairah and Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico before being appointed by Gimnasia last year.

"At Barcelona I think injuries hindered him," Reid added. "But when he went to Napoli, 'wow'. I mean, if you go to Napoli, he is like – is it fair to say God? He is like a God there. I mean I know it is a ridiculous statement, but he is!

"And the other thing, I went to Argentina an awful lot watching football when I was a manager and a coach in Buenos Aires. And if you ask 99.9 per cent of Argentinians who the best player ever was, they will say Diego Maradona. Now why I am saying that is because of Lionel Messi who, let's have it right, is unbelievable. But, am I going to argue with Argentinians? No, no."

Along the way, the footballing great – who died on Wednesday at the age of 60 – scored some of the greatest goals the game has ever seen.

No matter the occasion, or indeed the opponent, Maradona was often unplayable – as can be seen from our selection of his five greatest ever goals.

Argentina v England (June 22, 1986)

Hailed by many as the greatest goal of all time, Maradona picked up the ball inside his own half and dribbled past four England players before calmly rounding Peter Shilton.

The moment of magic arrived four minutes after the infamous 'Hand of God' goal and helped Argentina into the semi-finals of the 1986 World Cup, which they went on to win.

Argentina v Belgium (June 25, 1986)

The goal scored by Maradona three days later, this time in the semi-finals, was not too dissimilar in that he had four opposition players between himself and the goal.

He slalomed between two of them, jinked past another – in the process taking out a fourth – and fired past Jean-Marie Pfaff for his second goal of the contest.

Napoli v Juventus (November 3, 1985)

Napoli ended their 12-year wait for a league victory over rivals Juventus thanks to Maradona's brilliance of a different kind. If the previous goals were all about neat footwork and clinical finishing, this was more to do with sheer audacity.

A large wall, set five metres from the ball, was not enough to stop the Argentine maestro delicately lifting the indirect free-kick into the one spot Stefano Tacconi could not reach.

Napoli v Hellas Verona (October 20, 1985)

This one was all about the technique - and the confidence to even think about taking it on. Maradona brought down the ball with his first touch, turned and sent a long-range drive flying over Giuliano Giuliani from a good 40 yards out.

What made it all the more special is that this strike came in a 5-0 thrashing of Verona, who were the reigning Serie A champions at the time.

Boca Juniors v River Plate (April 10, 1981)

Maradona spent a season with Boca Juniors before arriving in Europe and it soon became clear what a talent he would become.

His first spell at the club may have been short but he left behind plenty of memories, including a goal at the home of bitter rivals River Plate. With the angle against him, he squeezed in an effort with a masterful finish from the wing.

Skipper Sam Cane laid the shirt, which bore the number 10, in the middle of the pitch before the hosts' traditional haka ahead of the match in Newcastle.

It was a touching tribute following the Argentinian legend's death on Wednesday at the age of 60.

Maradona attended numerous Pumas matches and was in England to follow the team's fortunes at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

His passing marked a three-day period of mourning in his home country, where Maradona was held in the highest esteem.

Tributes have poured in from the world of sport and beyond, with many insisting Maradona – who inspired Argentina to glory at the 1986 World Cup – was the greatest player of all time.