Tuttosport defends Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta’s coach, refusing to say he ‘d picked up COVID-19 for a Champions League game in Valencia on March 10.
The tactician provoked immense controversy when he announced to the Gazzetta Dello Sport that he felt unwell the day before the match, then worse that evening, and spent the next few days in bed in Bergamo.
Although he has no fever, he has never been tested for COVID-19 but recent blood tests have shown that he has the antibodies.
Valencia was furious, demanding that UEFA investigate why Gasperini did not inform them that he had some coronavirus symptoms when he entered the Mestalla.
However, Tuttosport has tried to prove that Gasperini may have picked up the virus while in Spain for that 4-3 win on March 10.
Their investigation suggests that Valencia cannot be too upset, as there was a large public gathering in town on March 8 for Women’s Day, then Atalanta’s captain Papu Gomez irritably referred to reporters as ‘clowns’ when they tried to crowd around him at the airport on March 9, snubbing out social distancing guidelines.
The Tuttosport timeline points to the fact that on March 16, 10 players and staff tested COVID-19 positively, while Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello tested only on March 24.
Since coronavirus typically takes 5-14 days to develop in the body, coronavirus is likely to have already occurred in Valencia and was not transported by Atalanta.
On 11 March 1,146 confirmed COVID-19 cases occurred in Valencia.
