Although it's been nearly three years since COVID-19 first broke out in Wuhan, China, the repercussions of the global pandemic are still being keenly felt.
Multiple versions of the disease have broken out and spread all over the world, infecting millions of people in its wake.
Football hasn't been spared from COVID-19 causing havoc, whether it be rescheduled fixtures or teams having to deal with players missing out due to becoming sick.
Italy are in the process of preparing for two games that will decide whether the Azzurri will feature at the upcoming World Cup. The EURO 2020 winners are the heavy favorites to beat Eastern European minnows North Macedonia on Thursday, but will next have to face Portugal, which will certainly be a tough task, or alternatively, Turkey, who they beat 3-0 at EURO 2020, but could still cause issues for a weakened Italy side.
However, Roberto Mancini has some major worries on his hands. According to reports from Italy, the Azzurri are now dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak in their ranks, with five players plus a couple of staff members contracting the virus.
While Italy should be able to easily deal with North Macedonia, Mancini will naturally hope to have everyone available before they face Portugal or Turkey for a spot at the World Cup.
