RAY OF HOPE

Italian FA boss says he hopes fans could return to grounds this season

He added that allowing fans into stadiums could be seen as a “sign of hope” for the country.

In Summary

•Football will restart on June 20 but like other major European leagues Serie A matches will be behind closed doors.

•Serie A said teams will play twice a week with matches almost every day when the season resumes.

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez in action with Juventus' Rodrigo Bentancur in past ac tion
Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez in action with Juventus' Rodrigo Bentancur in past ac tion
Image: /REUTERS

The head of Italy’s football federation (FIGC) says he hopes that some fans can be allowed back into stadiums to watch Serie A matches before the end of the current season.

Football will restart on June 20 but like other major European leagues Serie A matches will be behind closed doors. “It’s a wish, I sincerely hope so,” FIGC president Gabriele Gravina said.

Also on Monday, Serie A said teams will play twice a week with matches almost every day when the season resumes.

“It’s hard to imagine that, with all the precautions that are being taken, you cannot have a certain percentage of people in a stadium with 60,000 or 80,000 seats,” Gravina told Italian radio station Radio 24.

He added that allowing fans into stadiums could be seen as a “sign of hope” for the country.

Serie ‘A’ will resume with the four matches postponed from previous rounds. Torino v Parma is the first match on June 20 at 1800 BST followed by Verona v Cagliari.)

Third-placed Inter Milan host Sampdoria the following evening while Atalanta entertain Sassuolo.

Leaders Juventus restart their campaign at Bologna on June 22. There are just five days between 20 June and the season ending on 2 August that will not feature a game.