AZ vs Napoli match a go despite Covid-19 concerns

AZ departed to Italy with 19 players on Wednesday for its Europa League match against Napoli on Thursday, the Alkmaar club said in a statement. Due to a recent Covid-19 outbreak in the club, the selection looks a lot different than in recent matches.

On Tuesday, AZ reported eight new coronavirus infections among its players, bringing the total number of Covid-19 positive players at the club to 13.

Despite the large number of sick players, AZ still has enough players left to meet the UEFA conditions for a match to continue. According to the European football association, a club must be able to deploy at least 13 layers, including at least one goalkeeper.

The Covid-19 outbreak sparked concerns about public health in Naples, with Naples city councilor Ciro Borriello calling for the match at Stadio San Paolo to be canceled. “We need responsible behavior: AZ should be quarantined and the game postponed,” he said to Radio Punto Nuovo.

The match against Napoli kicks off at 6:55 p.m. on Thursday. AZ's selection can be seen here.