Udinese v Salernitana off after coronavirus-hit visitors fail to turn up

Udinese’s Serie A clash with Salernitana did not take place on Tuesday after the visitors failed to turn up at the Dacia Arena.

It was already known that bottom side Salernitana would not make the trip after they were ordered not to travel by the local health authority due to a number of positive coronavirus cases in the squad.

Udinese, however, undertook their normal matchday routine and even named their starting XI.

Udinese director Pierpaolo Marino told DAZN: “The league is right not to postpone the game. They have a duty to protect the regularity of the league season and a game must not be postponed because a player tests positive.

“We went to Rome to play Lazio with seven players and our coach out with COVID-19 last season, and we won 3-1.”

The match #UdineseSalernitana was not held due to @OfficialUSS1919 failing to show up#SerieA #WeAreCalcio pic.twitter.com/Ubg1qCRSlq

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 21, 2021

A similar situation happened last season when Napoli failed to turn up to face Juventus, with the Partenopei forced to forfeit the match.

Napoli subsequently won an appeal and the match was replayed.