Napoli handed a 3-0 defeat, deducted one point over unplayed match

Napoli has been handed a 3-0 defeat and had one point deducted for failing to play its Serie A match away to Juventus earlier this month.

Juventus coach Gianluigi Buffon ahead of the Serie A match on October 4, for which Napoli did not travel to Turin.

Napoli has been handed a 3-0 defeat and had one point deducted for failing to play its Serie A match away to Juventus earlier this month amid confusion over Italian soccer's COVID-19 rules.

Napoli did not travel to Turin for the match on Oct 4., saying its local health authority (ASL) had told the players to stay at home after two members of its squad tested positive for COVID-19.

Serie A turned down Napoli's request to call the game off, meaning that Juventus and match officials were both present at the stadium and the floodlights were on. Play was officially abandoned 45 minutes after kickoff time.

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Serie A's disciplinary tribunal, which announced its decision in a statement, rejected Napoli's claim of force majeure and said there was a clear health protocol for Serie A.

The announcement is likely to infuriate Napoli, which said it was only following the orders of its ASL. The club has already threatened to appeal and take legal action if a new date for the match is not arranged.

Napoli, which had won its opening two matches, now has five points from three games in the Serie A table while Juventus got seven.