Champions League reaction and coronavirus impact on sport

Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo thinks the game should have been postponed.

Wolves said they were not only concerned about their own players and staff but also those of Olympiakos, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis tested positive for coronavirus.

“We have all the insurance in terms of health situations and we are OK. It’s just the fact that we love to compete in a normal situation.

“I think it will be better for the competition, for the tie [for the game to be postponed].”

Wolves’ Europa League game against Olympiakos is going ahead tonight despite the coronavirus issues.

The English side had asked for the game to be postponed but it will be played behind closed doors.

Defender Conor Coady says he is concerned about his family’s health.

“You go home to your wives and kids after the game so that’s the priority,” Coady said.

“We need to make sure it’s right when we’re going home.”

Naman Jawaid: It’s a competitive sport. Get over such things. This brings rivalries and passion.

Captain Bobo: It’s a fun game. They are having fun without offending anyone. I don’t see any problems. Plus Håland had it coming when he started “Paris is mine” shit 🙂 let them take this one.

Matt Ransome: Mocking a 19 year old kid who you will no doubt try to sign for €200m in a year. Classy.

Here’s a video of those celebrations by the Paris St-Germain fans after their side beat Borussia Dortmund last night.

The game was played behind closed doors because of coronavirus but that didn’t stop supporters turning up at the Parc de Princes.

SMS Message: Liverpool need to change their anthem to “You’ll Never Walk Alone, unless you’re a keeper that makes an error in the Champions League, in which case, you’re on your Todd pal” from Adam, Sheffield

Liverpool need to change their anthem to “You’ll Never Walk Alone, unless you’re a keeper that makes an error in the Champions League, in which case, you’re on your Todd pal”

Juve defender Rugani’s positive test for coronavirus is front page news in La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy.

The Sport Today programme on the BBC World Service have been speaking to Udinese player William Troost-Ekong about what it has been like training during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“On Wednesday we had a training session where we weren’t
allowed to be within a distance of 1m to another player so we couldn’t
really play football, it was more of a gym session that we did out on the pitch
because we couldn’t do it in a confined space,” the Nigeria international said.

“But after that we decided that
that wasn’t really a realistic way to work so now they’ve suspended our
training sessions as well until at least next Monday and then after that we’re
going to decide, depending on what the rules are in Italy how we’re going to
work because it’s difficult in these circumstances.”

SMS Message: It’s hard to think of a more enjoyable game I have watched as a neutral in recent years. One team absolutely doing everything to score, the other doing everything to stop them. It was a thrilling masterclass in defending and keeping your heads from Atletico. We should be praising them to the rafters. from Tattz in Harborne

It’s hard to think of a more enjoyable game I have watched as a neutral in recent years. One team absolutely doing everything to score, the other doing everything to stop them. It was a thrilling masterclass in defending and keeping your heads from Atletico. We should be praising them to the rafters.

Emile Heskey

Former Liverpool and England striker on BBC One

It’s one of those things where
you can have as much possession and as many chances as you want, but if you don’t take them, you are going to be punished. But I didn’t see that coming [from Atletico].

Simeone is a great manager and made
the right substitutions at the right time.

When you look at it towards the end of normal time, Atletico
were against the ropes, leaving no one up front and they were there for the taking, but
they worked the strategy well.

If Liverpool take the chances it changes everything and you pick
your game up.

But you don’t have to read too much into it and it is a matter of
time for the Premier League title and that is the one the fans are dying for.

It’s
been 30 years and they will concentrate
on that.

SMS Message: As a Liverpool fan I’d swap any of our front 3 for Kane or Aguero. We need a dead-eye striker, that’s why we’re out not Adrian. from Ant, Bham.

As a Liverpool fan I’d swap any of our front 3 for Kane or Aguero. We need a dead-eye striker, that’s why we’re out not Adrian.

• Liverpool fell at the last 16 stage
  of the Champions League for the first time since 2006 (v Benfica), also as the
  reigning champions after lifting the trophy in 2005 at this season’s final
  destination – Istanbul.

I’d say the forwards have to take a bit of the blame. It’s not like they didn’t have any shots…

Reuters are reporting that Brazil’s first two qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup have been postponed because of the coronavirus.

The five-times world champions were due to play at home against Bolivia on March 27 and then play Peru in Lima four days later.

Rugani was on the bench for Juve’s win over Inter Milan in Serie A on Sunday.

Here he is celebrating with this team-mates afterwards…

Juventus announced last night that their defender Daniele Rugani has tested positive for the virus.

The Italian has posted on Instagram saying he is “fine”.

“At this moment, however, I feel even more duty to thank all the doctors and nurses who are struggling in hospitals to face this emergency,” he said.

“I urge everyone to respect the rules, because this virus makes no distinctions!

“Let’s do it for ourselves, for our loved ones and for those around us.”