Bergamo’s football team, Atalanta, coach Gian Piero Gasperini confessed that he had Covid-19 and at one moment he was concerned he would die.
The Italian city of Bergamo was one if the worst hit, with medical experts also pointing to the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Match against Valencia as the trigger which led to the deadly outbreak in the city.
The second leg was played behind closed doors. However Gasperini was feeling symptoms which indicated that he had coronavirus.
“The day before the Valencia game I was sick, the afternoon of the game worse – he explains – I didn’t have a pretty face on the bench. It was March 10th. The following two nights in Zingonia I slept little. I didn’t have a fever, but I felt in pieces as if I had it at 40. Ten days ago serological tests confirmed that I had Covid-19. I have antibodies, which does not mean that I am now immune”, he said.
In a statement, the Spanish club of Valencia expressed its concern on the fact that the coach of Atalanta, conscious of the symptoms, still travelled to Valencia putting at risk many players and others.
“Given the statements of Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, published in the Italian press this Sunday, Valencia CF would like to publicly express its surprise that the coach of the rival team in the Uefa Champions League round of 16 recognizes that , both the day before and the day of the game, played on March 10 in Mestalla, was aware, at least about himself, of having symptoms presumably compatible with Coronavirus without taking preventive measures, putting at risk, if that had been the case, numerous people during their trip and stay in Valencia “.
