Juventus aces Pjanic, Khedira and Bentancur flee coronavirus-hit Italy after Higuain breaks quarantine to escape country

THREE Juventus midfielders have followed team-mate Gonzalo Higuain in fleeing Italy’s coronavirus crisis.

Ex-Real Madrid star Sami Khedira returned to Germany, rumoured Chelsea target Miralem Pjanic is in Luxembourg and Rodrigo Bentancur headed to his native Uruguay.

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Paulo Dybala, left, and Cristiano Ronaldo flank Juventus team-mates Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic – who have both left virus-hit ItalyCredit: AFP

Rodrigo Bentancur is thought to have flown back to Uruguay, for whom the 22-year-old has played 22 timesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Striker Gonzalo Higuain is thought to have returned to Argentina with his family to be with his unwell mumCredit: EPA

All four isolated for ten days after Juventus went into quarantine when two players were found to have Covid-19.

But the quartet are thought to have tested negative and the Serie A champs are reportedly content for them to depart temporarily.

Italy has overtaken China as the country suffering most from coronavirus, with more than 3,400 deaths.

And the exit of former Chelsea loan striker Higuain from Turin, part of the nation’s worst-hit Northern region, was surrounded in confusion.

He was said to have been stopped from boarding a private plane back to his native Argentina with his family, but instead travelled to Spain to make the flight from there.

Juventus were thought to be happy with his return to South America, so he could be with his seriously-ill mum.

Higuain, 32, prepared by having a midweek test, which confirmed he was virus-free.

Juventus’ direct problems with Covid-19 struck last week when their Italy centre-back Daniele Rugiani, 25, contracted it.

Then France midfielder Blaise Matuidi, 32, was confirmed on Tuesday as also having Covid-19.

It means the number of Serie A stars with the virus is now in double figures.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk