Serie A to kick off with Torino vs Parma on June 20

Serie A will mark its return with the outstanding games between Parma and Torino followed by Hellas Verona vs Cagliari on June 20.

Due to the summer in Italy, most of the remaining Serie A matches have been scheduled for evening kick off timings.

Serie A will return after a three-month coronavirus-enforced absence on June 20 with Torino hosting Parma in the first of four postponed matches on the opening weekend, the Italian league confirmed on Monday.

The championship will resume with fixtures which were called off when Italian sports was suspended on March 9 because of the coronavirus.

The first match will be Torino versus Parma at 7.30 pm (11 pm IST) on June 20 followed by Hellas Verona versus Cagliari at 9.45pm (June 21, 1.15 am IST).

The following day Atalanta will host Sassuolo at 7.30 pm (11 pm IST) while Inter Milan will be at home against Sampdoria at 9.45 pm (June 22, 1.15 am IST).

Most teams have 12 games left to play with 124 matches remaining, to be played in 43 days from June 20 to August 2.

After the four catch-up games, the 27th round of action will be played with matches scheduled from Monday, June 22 through to Wednesday, June 24.

Juventus, which is bidding for a ninth consecutive title, is one point ahead of Lazio. Third-placed Inter Milan is nine points behind the leader with a game in hand.

Maurizio Sarri's Juventus travel to Bologna for its first game back on Monday with Lazio at Atalanta on Wednesday.

The league has not yet confirmed the dates for the Italian Cup which is expected to be completed the week before Serie A restarts.

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The return legs of the semi-finals remain to be played with Juventus facing AC Milan and Napoli playing Inter Milan.

Most of the matches will be played at 7.30pm and 9.45pm, because of the summer heat in Italy, with only ten games scheduled earlier at 5.15pm, in the north of the country.

Games will be played behind closed doors and adhering to a strict health protocol, whereby the entire group must go into a training camp retreat for two weeks in the case of a positive test for Covid-19.

Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina said Monday he hoped that a small number of fans will be able to attend matches before the season finishes.

“It is my heartfelt wish to be able to see a small presence in stadium for the end of the championship,” said Gravina.

“It seems unthinkable that in a stadium with 60,000 seats, there is no space for a minimal percentage of spectators who can attend the match with all necessary precautions.

“Certainly it is premature today but with the resumption of the championship, there could be a new little signal of hope for our country.”