Soccer-Italian govt likely to order Serie A matches be played behind closed doors -min

Italy's Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said on Wednesday the government was likely to order that all top-flight Serie A soccer matches should be played behind closed doors in a further effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

"We are heading towards that decision," Spadafora told reporters when asked if the government was thinking of blocking fans from attending games.

The government last month banned sporting events in the country's most affected northern regions and so far 10 Serie A matches have been postponed. However, the contagion has spread and ministers are considering new measures to tackle it.