FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group Stage - Group H - BSC Young Boys v Juventus - Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland - December 12, 2018 Young Boys' Guillaume Hoarau celebrates scoring their first goal with Moumi Ngamaleu as Juventus' Daniele Rugani looks dejected REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group Stage - Group H - BSC Young Boys v Juventus - Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland - December 12, 2018 Young Boys' Guillaume Hoarau celebrates scoring their first goal with Moumi Ngamaleu as Juventus' Daniele Rugani looks dejected REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group Stage - Group H - BSC Young Boys v Juventus - Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland - December 12, 2018 Young Boys' Guillaume Hoarau celebrates scoring their first goal with Moumi Ngamaleu as Juventus' Daniele Rugani looks dejected REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group Stage - Group H - BSC Young Boys v Juventus - Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland - December 12, 2018 Young Boys' Guillaume Hoarau celebrates scor

Daniele Rugani insists he is 'fine' after Juventus star tests positive for coronavirus


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Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has said he is "fine" and asked people not to worry after becoming the first Serie A footballer to test positive for the coronavirus.

Rugani, 25, "is currently asymptomatic," the Italian champions said, but the Turin-based club are "currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including those who have had contact with him".

"I want to reassure all those who are worried about me, I'm fine," Rugani wrote on social media. "At this moment, however, I feel even more duty to thank all the doctors and nurses who are struggling in hospitals to cope with this crisis.

"I invite everyone to respect the rules, because this virus makes no distinctions! Let's do it for ourselves, for our loved ones and for those around us."

Rugani is the first top-flight footballer to contract the virus which has killed 827 in Italy, the second most stricken country in the world after China, and infected 12,000 people, including several Serie C players.

Rugani has spent the last seven years at league leaders Juventus apart from a two-year loan spell at Empoli. He has played just three league games this season, most recently against Brescia on February 16 and SPAL on February 22.

He was on the bench in Lyon for the Champions League last-16, first-leg clash on February 26 in France and the team's last game against Inter Milan in Serie A on March 8.

Inter said on Wednesday that "all competitive activities have been suspended until further notice" as a result of Rugani's positive test.

"The club is currently taking steps to put all the necessary procedures into place," the Milan club said.

Juventus are due to host Lyon in their Champions League return fixture behind closed doors in Turin next Tuesday.

All sports in Italy have been suspended until April 3, including Serie A football, but Champions League and Europa League matches are under the jurisdiction of Uefa.

Uefa called off two Europa League games on Thursday between Italian and Spanish teams. Inter Milan were set to host Getafe with Roma due to travel to Sevilla.

In the Champions League, Barcelona are also due to host Italian club Napoli next Wednesday.

Many Serie A clubs had suspended training until next week but Juventus continued to train ahead of their planned Champions League tie.

Italy's 60 million residents are in lockdown in a desperate bid to halt the spread of a virus which claimed 196 lives in the last 24 hours.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Wednesday that all stores, except for pharmacies and food shops, would now be shut.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
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The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?

If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.