The Old Lady’s coach was criticised the Napoli chief for speaking out after CONI overturned a Serie A match forfeit
Andrea Pirlo should have kept quiet rather than wade in on Napoli‘s successful appeal against their 3-0 forfeit defeat to Juventus and one-point penalty, according to Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Gennaro Gattuso’s Napoli did not turn up for their game in Turin in October and were also docked a point by Serie A after arguing they were banned from travelling by local health authorities as Piotr Zielinski, Eljif Elmas and a member of staff had tested positive for Covid-19.
Juventus also reported two positive cases among staff a day before the game but made clear they intended to play the match at the Allianz Stadium.
Pirlo named a starting XI but the game did not go ahead due to Napoli’s absence and was officially abandoned, but the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) ruled the Partenopei had ignored the coronavirus protocols in place, which state a team must fulfil an fixture if they have 13 available players, including a goalkeeper.
Napoli refused to drop the matter and took the case to the Italian National Olympic Committee’s (CONI) Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport – the highest sports authority in the country – and it ruled in the club’s favour on Tuesday, with the rescheduled game set to take place in 2021.
| #DeLaurentiis : “We’re happy. #Napoli always follow the rules”
#ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/GCQ0YMkpWW
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) December 22, 2020
Pirlo appeared to take a swipe at the ruling this week, saying: “I’m sorry for the other teams who have travelled and lost points without saying anything, leaving and playing without those who had Covid-19. I’m more sorry for them than for us.”
Napoli president De Laurentiis was not impressed with Pirlo’s remarks and said he should stick to coaching instead of commenting on matters of law.
“Pirlo is not a lawyer by trade, he does not know certain procedures and does not know what has happened in terms of protocols,” De Laurentiis told Radio Capital.
“Pirlo should be a coach and that’s it, leave certain answers to his club representatives.”
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