UPDATE 1-Soccer-Italy to allow matches behind closed doors in coronavirus region

The Italian government has agreed to allow some soccer matches to be played behind closed doors in the region affected by the coronavirus outbreak, the ANSA news agency reported on Monday.

ANSA quoted Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora as saying that sporting events had been banned in the affected regions until Sunday but that "for some events we have given the possibility to play them behind closed doors." He did not give further details but Italian media said he was referring to Serie A matches.

Seven people have died and more than 220 have come down with the virus, mainly in the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, in Europe's worst outbreak of the illness. Bulgarian club Ludogorets Razgrad said on their website that they had been informed by European soccer's governing body UEFA that their Europa League last 32, second-leg tie at Inter Milan on Thursday would go ahead in an empty stadium at San Siro. (Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Ken Ferris)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)