Albertini: We must overcome the Coronavirus, one of our most dangerous opponents

Former Barcelona player Demetrio Albertini has explained what life is like in quarantine in Italy.

The Coronavirus outbreak has hit Italy particularly hard and they have registered more deaths from the virus than China in just a few weeks.

"Unfortunately, as almost the whole planet, we Italians have the job of overcoming one of the most dangerous opponents we have ever come across: COVID-19," Albertini told Barcelona's official website.

"It is a difficult challenge and every one of us has to be at their best so that the country can defeat this virus.

"However, I have no doubt that we will help each other achieve this goal and that before too long we can say that we have beaten our biggest enemy.

"The days at the moment are very different ones for me and my family.

"When we found out that the north of Italy was turning into an area at risk, and before the government decided to close off the country, we decided to travel to Tuscany, close to Coverciano, where the Italian FA training centre is situated and where I have my office.

"Coming here was the best option for us to get away from the most contagious areas and also so I was able to carry with my job in charge of youth football for the Italian FA.

"The Coronavirus has all of a sudden changed the way Italians live.

"In my own case, life in Coverciano can be summed up as being connected to the Internet 24 hours a day to keep running my own firm as well as my obligations with the Italian FA.

"My two children, Federico and Costanza, are both studying at home via the internet and myself and my wife Uriana try to help them as best we can as they help us too.

"Confinement has changed all social relationships in Italy, but that has a positive side too.

"For example, there are lots of new social initiatives emerging thanks to social media.

"We are taking part in campaigns such as that of the artists Chiara Ferragni and Fedez as well as others I organise at my padel club.

"All of these go to helping hospital resources.

"Spending so much time at home can give you a lot to think about.

"For example, I have to be always on hand for calls and videoconferences with the FA.

"Right now, with football paralysed in Italy for obvious reasons, our work is to work out what millions of fans of Italian Football want to know - when will Serie A and the other competitions start up again?

"Our aim is to begin again in the middle of May, but right now there are a lot of different possible scenarios.

"We cannot discount the possibility that Serie A will be played during the summer, that the season may be cancelled completely, or that it is decided with a series of play-offs both at the top and bottom of the table.

"In fact, we are working with all these possible situations, but it is very difficult to calculate dates with such uncertainty and we have to remember that health comes first.

"The same is true for the Champions League, which has an added difficulty as it involves many countries and that means we all have to be moving in the same direction, at the same speed to be able to be free of the pandemic at the same time and to keep on playing.

"The situation is very complicated, but let's hope that the competitions can be decided out there on the field."