Juventus defender Rugani first Serie A player to test positive for coronavirus

NOTE TO EDITORS: RESENDING WITH ADDITIONAL MATERIAL OF INTER MILAN VIDEO SHOWS: FILE OF DANIELE RUGANI; JUVENTUS AND INTER MILAN STADIUMS; FILE OF INTER AND JUVENTUS TRAINING SHOWS: AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (APRIL 9, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

FILE OF JUVENTUS DEFENDER DANIELE RUGANI SPEAKING AT PRESS CONFERENCE (MUTE) MADRID, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2.

FILE DANIELE RUGANI WALKING ON PITCH WITH THE REST OF THE JUVENTUS TEAM (2 SHOTS) TURIN, ITALY (MARCH 8, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) 3.

STILL PHOTO OF JUVENTUS AND INTER MILAN PLAYERS GREETING EACH OTHER BEFORE MATCH WITHOUT SHAKING HANDS 4.

STILL PHOTO OF EMPTY SEATS DURING MATCH 5.

STILL PHOTO OF JUVENTUS CRISTIANO RONALDO CELEBRATING WITH AARON RAMSEY AFTER RAMSEY SCORES GOAL TO GIVE JUVENTUS 1-0 LEAD 6.

STILL PHOTO OF RONALDO TAKING FREE KICK 7.

STILL PHOTO OF JUVENTUS CELEBRATING AFTER WINNING MATCH 2-0 TURIN, ITALY (MARCH 12, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8.

EXTERIORS OF THE JUVENTUS STADIUM (5 SHOTS) MILAN, ITALY (MARCH 12, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9.

VIEWS OF INTER MILAN'S SAN SIRO STADIUM (4 SHOTS) APPIANO GENTILE, NEAR MILAN, ITALY (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10.

FILE OF INTER MILAN TRAINING (2 SHOTS) TURIN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 25, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11.

FILE OF JUVENTUS TEAM TRAINING (2 SHOTS) STORY: Juventus defender Daniele Rugani said he was fine on Thursday (March 12), shortly after his club said he had tested positive for coronavirus, the first player in Serie A to do so.

The Turin side are one of Europe's biggest clubs with a squad that includes five-times world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo, who is currently in his native Madeira.

"You've read the news, so I want to reassure everyone who's worried about me, I'm fine," Rugani said on Twitter.

"I urge everyone to respect the rules, because this virus makes no distinction!

Let's do it for ourselves, for our loved ones and for those around us." Rugani, who is not a regular first team player, has made seven appearances this season, including two in February.

He was on the bench for Sunday's game against Inter Milan.

A source close to Juventus said the entire squad will have to spend two weeks in quarantine, meaning they would not be able to face Olympique Lyonnais in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on March 17.

Inter, meanwhile, have suspended all competitive activities until further notice after facing Juve in a 2-0 defeat on Sunday.

(Production: Mike Brock)