Barcelona's Champions League match with Napoli to be played behind closed doors
Barcelona's Champions League tie next week against Napoli will be played behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the club has confirmed.
The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Naples and the second leg is scheduled next Wednesday at the Camp Nou. This decision was taken by FC Barcelona after the Serie A games were suspended without further notice. Italy has seen the biggest outbreak of the virus in Europe, and Barcelona are adopting precautionary measures against the same.
The Barcelona marathon, which was going to take place this weekend, has also been postponed till October for similar reasons. However, La Liga games have seen no changes so far due to the outbreak.
It's highly likely that the incoming Italian support from Naples is what has caused this particular postponement. Barcelona will severely miss their home crowd as they look to advance to the quarter-finals, while Napoli would also be fighting for a place in the quarter-finals without fan support.
Antoine Griezmann and Dries Mertens scored in the first leg for either side. The home side will be the favorites to advance, but they will be without a major weapon - their home support.