The Champions League fixtures
between Valencia and Atalanta has been scheduled to be played behind closed
doors next week to try and contain the rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus,
Spain's health minister said Tuesday.
Salvador
Illa also said that the second leg of Getafe's Europa League last 16 tie with
Inter Milan on March 19 would also be played without fans in the stands.
"The
decision of the authorities is that these matches are to be played behind
closed doors," Illa told reporters.
Illa
said "a large gathering of fans" needed to be avoided for both
matches as Valencia look to overturn a 4-1 first-leg deficit at the Mestalla
stadium on March 10.
It
was also revealed that a spanish sports journalist who covered the first match
at the San Siro on February 19 was diagnosed with coronavirus on his return
home.
The
Spanish authorities has made the decision to close the match to supporters due
to the "large presence of fans" from area of northern Italy most
affected by the coronavirus outbreak, said Illa.
Atalanta
are based in Bergamo in Lombardy, the region that has so far been worst hit in
Italy by an epidemic that has killed 79 people and infected more than 2,500.
Up
to now 150 cases of coronavirus have been detected in Spain according to the
latest official figures.
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