FORMER Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic says living in Milan is like being in a “movie scene” as coronavirus keeps Italy in its grip.
The ex-Bournemouth star is on loan at AC Milan and able to see first-hand the devastating impact this killer bug is having on the city.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Begovic says the usually thriving Milan is a ghost town with coronavirus decimating Italy as a whole
More than 2,500 people have died in Italy and doctors have warned of a “catastrophic” situation threatening to unfold with pressure mounting on hospitals.
Milan is the worst affected region of the worst affected country in Europe and Begovic, 32, told the Mirror how life has completely shut down.
Begovic – whose former side Chelsea have offered NHS staff free accommodation – said: “It’s a total lockdown. The streets are deserted. The only thing open are supermarkets. You can get a little bit of food and then it’s straight back to your home. It’s crazy.
“It’s a big city, I live in the city and you think it’s a movie. People have said it’s like a movie scene and it really is. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’m not sure people understand how bad it is here.
“It’s hit Italy very hard. What the reason is for that I don’t know – maybe the medicine side of things.
“But it’s hit the country hard. You feel for the country, with a lot of deaths and people being infected. It’s devastating and heartbreaking for the people.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS – BE IN THE KNOW
Get the latest coronavirus news, facts and figures from around the world – plus essential advice for you and your family.
To receive our Covid-19 newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply ‘Like’ our Coronavirus page.
“Now you see other clubs, fellow players getting it and it feels like a nightmare and you can only hope that everything goes back to normal as soon as possible.”
Blaise Matuidi was yesterday confirmed as the second Juventus player after Daniele Rugani to test positive for coronavirus.
Serie A was the first European league to start postponing games before joining the swell of sporting events being placed on hold to prevent the virus from spreading.
Begovic says he has no idea when normal life, let alone the football season, will return.
He added: “It’s just a waiting game at the moment.
“We’re not training now. We’re not due back until the 23rd at the moment but that looks as if it might get changed and extended.
“No-one has tested positive at Milan. Now they’ve sent us away and said: ‘we’ll see you when we see you.’
“Those are the measures that people have to take, they are the orders and we obey them and that’s it.
“It’s so strange not being able to train. You try to do other things but there’s only so much Netflix you can watch.
“I try to keep busy, I’m trying to record some podcasts, keep myself ticking over and to not get down too much and patiently wait for normality to resume.”
Chelsea FC’s Callum Hudson-Odoi says he has RECOVERED from coronavirus after self-isolating
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
