Lionel Messi made his first ever appearance in Naples on Tuesday, playing in Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Napoli in the Champions League.
But more striking than the Argentina legend’s presence, in a stadium where his compatriot Diego Maradona is a club hero, were the masked fans in the stands, taking precautions against coronavirus.
More than 300 people have been infected in Italy, 12 of whom have died.
The Venice Carnival has been called off, while the La Scala theatre has been shut down. The Milan stock exchange is falling.
But this is having consequences for Italian football and sport in general.
