The Italian Ministry of Sports revealed that upcoming games being played in regions affected by the virus will be played in empty stadiums.

Serie A was recently rocked by coronavirus fears, with four games on Saturday and Sunday's list of fixtures being suspended after the virus broke out in the region. The government ordered those games to be suspended indefinitely but now the Ministry of Sports have come up with a solution for the upcoming round.

Vincenzo Spadafora, the Minister of Sports in Italy, has confirmed that the six games set to take place in areas affected by the coronavirus will take place behind closed doors. This includes the Juventus vs Inter Milan showdown, a game which could tip the Scudetto race in either team's favor.

This measure has been taken in order to battle the spread of the virus. Spadafora stated that in the regions affected, sporting events have been prohibited but some fixtures have been given the green light to go ahead in empty stadiums so as to prevent large public gatherings.

"Measures are already in force, that prohibit any events until next Sunday," the minister told Tg2 (as per Football Italia). 

"Initially for Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont. Now we have also extended to Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna and Liguria.

"In these regions, the prohibition of sporting events remains, for some events we have given the availability to carry them out behind closed doors."

In the regions yet to be affected, the league will continue as normal as there are no "conditions for taking serious measures". This behind-closed-doors ruling will also take effect in Inter Milan's Europa League clash with Ludogorets, with the Italian giants set to host the Bulgarian outfit at the San Siro.

Serie A round 26 games set to be played behind closed doors

  1. Udinese vs Fiorentina

  2. Milan vs Genoa

  3. Parma vs SPAL

  4. Sassuolo vs Brescia 

  5. Juventus vs Inter

  6. Sampdoria vs Hellas Verona