Coronavirus in sport: Ronaldo's return remains uncertain

Bengaluru, May 6: Serie A champions Juventus' players resumed individual training at the team's sports centre, while uncertainty over Cristiano Ronaldo's return continues even as the Portuguese star began two weeks' novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic quarantine after returning to Italy.

Juventus skipper Giorgio Chiellini arrived early with Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci, wearing a black face mask, just after midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Playmaker Miralem Pjanic showed up in the afternoon, along with Juan Cuadrado, Mattia De Sciglio, Federico Bernardeschi and Daniele Rugani.

Ronaldo's return is more uncertain after two months of confinement on his native island of Madeira, having played in Juventus' last match against Inter Milan on March 8 behind closed doors.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner returned with his family to Turin by private jet and is in quarantine awaiting tests.

Ramsey first back at Juve training, Ronaldo in quarantine

Juventus said the training sessions will take place on an individual basis and with staggered arrivals to allow full compliance with the regulations in force".

"After a day of tests and exams carried out yesterday at J Medical, some of the Juventus players started training at the Continassa Training Centre, where they officially began their recovery to regain competitive form," Juventus tweeted.

JTC reopens ➡️https://t.co/49lSnL74rC

Happy training, guys! pic.twitter.com/WyQdb31KkL

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 5, 2020

The Italian interior ministry's go-ahead has allowed players to return to club training facilities two weeks ahead of schedule, offering a glimmer of hope that the 2019-20 season might yet be saved.

As well as Juventus, top-flight clubs Atalanta, Bologna and Udinese also got back to training with Sassuolo and Lecce leading the way.

But sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora warned training in groups must wait until May 18, and it remains uncertain whether matches can restart as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic

European federations have a deadline of May 25 to inform UEFA if their league will resume, and if so on what date and with what format.

UEFA urges leagues to complete suspended football seasons

A meeting has been scheduled for Thursday (May 7) between the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and members of the government's Technical Scientific Committee to discuss the medical protocol for the resumption of group training.