Fiorentina players were back in training on Friday, despite the club having confirmed six people had tested positive for coronavirus a day earlier.
The club announced three players and three members of staff showed signs of having COVID-19, four days after Serie A sides had been allowed to resume training following the league’s suspension due to the coronavirus crisis.
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Sources told ESPN attendance was optional and only players who had tested negative were allowed at the Davide Astori training base. Those present would follow the social distancing protocols issued by the Italian government in which group training is prohibited until at least May 18.
Franck Ribery, who has scored twice in 11 appearances since joining in the summer on a free transfer but has been sidelined with injury since November, is due to arrive back in Italy from Germany on Friday, the source added.
Just hours after Fiorentina announced their six positive test results, Sampdoria issued a statement which confirmed they had three positive cases.
Serie A has been suspended since March 10 when the country went into a nationwide lockdown and was the first to postpone matches following an outbreak of the virus in the north of the country.
The Italian FA have maintained their stance that the preference is to play out the remainder of the campaign, with postponements meaning some clubs still have 13 games remaining, while others have 12.
Juventus, who have won the past eight editions of Serie A, are top of the table with Lazio a point behind. Third-place Inter have a game in hand, but are nine points adrift of the leaders.
Brescia are bottom of the table and president Massimo Cellino said playing the season beyond June 30 would be “unthinkable.”