Napoli Wins Appeal Against Default Loss, Has Match vs. Juventus Rescheduled

Napoli was issued a 3-0 loss and one-point penalty for not showing up at Juventus on Oct. 4 because of coronavirus cases.

MILAN (AP) — Napoli won an appeal against its default 3-0 loss to Juventus and the Serie A match will be rescheduled and the penalty point revoked.

Napoli had seen previous appeals rejected and took the matter to the Italian Olympic Committee, which decided in favor of the club on Tuesday.

The ruling meant Napoli moved from fifth place to third, while Juventus slipped to fourth after losing the three points it had been awarded. Both teams have the same number of points and the same goal difference, but Napoli has scored a goal more.

The first deciding factor if teams are level at the end of the season is head-to-head record, then goal difference and then goals scored.

Also, Juventus and Napoli have played a match less than the rest of Serie A.

Napoli was issued a 3-0 loss and one-point penalty for not showing up at Juventus on Oct. 4 because of coronavirus cases.

Last month, the FIGC court of appeal upheld the league’s ruling that Napoli did not have a valid reason for missing the fixture and should have followed the existing COVID-19 protocol, which was accepted by all clubs before the season.

The Italian league’s protocol for coronavirus cases is the same as UEFA rules. If a team has 13 available players, including at least one goalkeeper, the game can go ahead.

Napoli at the time had just two players who were positive for COVID-19 but argued it had been ordered not to travel by the local health authority.