Coronavirus: Roma not to travel for Sevilla game

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Roma will not travel to Spain for the UEFA Europa League match against Sevilla as the plane from Italy was not authorized to land in Spain due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Italian football club announced on Wednesday.

The Round of 16 first leg game was initially scheduled for Thursday evening.

Italy is the worst-hit European country by coronavirus, with a death toll reaching 631.

Spain's Getafe also refused to travel to Italy for Inter Milan game in the UEFA Europa League tie on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the French League Cup final between Paris St-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais on April 4, was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

France has over 1,784 confirmed coronavirus cases and 33 deaths have been reported in the country so far, a French official said on Wednesday.

As the world struggles to contain the rapidly spreading virus, fallout has forced numerous organizers of sports events across the globe to cancel or alter their plans.

International sports events were canceled or rescheduled and some will be without spectators as the virus continues to threaten global health.

The global death toll from the virus known as COVID-19 has surpassed 4,250, with over 118,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The virus originated in China but has reached more than 100 countries, with the WHO saying Monday that the “threat of a pandemic has become very real.”

As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, some governments closed borders and suspended land and air travel with the worst-hit countries.