Milan: Cristiano Ronaldo and other top Juventus players could face legal action for rejoining their national teams despite coronavirus rules after two positive cases at the Italian champions, local health authorities in Turin said on Wednesday.

As well as the Portuguese star, several South Americans including Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado, Danilo and Rodrigo Bentancur also left the Juventus team hotel without awaiting test results this week, according to Italian media reports.

“The club itself told us that some players had left the place of isolation and therefore we will notify the competent authority, that is the prosecutor, of what happened,” said Roberto Testi, a director of the health authority in the Piedmont region, quoted by the Ansa news agency.

The entire Juventus team and staff were isolating from Saturday, a procedure that does not prevent them from training or playing, but prohibits contact with the outside.

Both virus case at the club were among the team’s non-playing staff.

Several other internationals called up to their national sides will be able to leave as soon as they get the all clear, including France’s Adrien Rabiot, Italians Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, Wales’ Aaron Ramsey and Poland’s Wojciech Szczesny.

Belgium wait for word on quarantined Mertens: Belgium are still waiting on whether Dries Mertens will be allowed to leave Italy and join up with his national team mates for three internationals over the next week, including a trip to Wembley at the weekend.

Mertens’ club Napoli are in quarantine at a resort near Naples after two squad members tested positive for COVID-19 last week, forcing them to miss their Serie A clash at Juventus on Sunday.

“Dries Mertens remains uncertain. His situation depends on the decision of the local authorities regarding COVID-19 measures in the Naples area,” said a statement from the Belgian football association.

The 33-year-old is a staple of the Belgian side, having won 92 caps for his country. Belgium meet the Ivory Coast in a friendly in Brussels on Thursday and then take on England at Wembley on Sunday and Iceland away in Reykjavik next Wednesday in the Nations League.

Spain already announced that Mertens’ Napoli team mate Fabian Ruiz, who was called up for their friendly against Portugal and two Nations League matches, was unable to meet up with the rest of the squad due to the terms of the quarantine.

Agencies