Coronavirus: Gremio players wear masks in protest at having to play Brazilian football match - in pictures

Gremio players line up with masks before the match against Sao Luiz in the Campeonato Gaucho in Brazil on Sunday, March 15. Reuters

General view as the players line up before the match at Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Reuters

Gremio players wearing masks before the match. Reuters

Gremio players wearing masks before the match. Reuters

Gremio players wore the masks as a protest against having to play a match despite the coronavirus outbreak in Brazil. Reuters

Gremio's Matheus Henrique. Reuters

General view as the match is played behind closed doors as the number of coronavirus cases grows in Brazil. Reuters

Gremio's Thiago Neves in action with Sao Luiz's Jadson. Reuters

Gremio's Everton in action. Reuters

Gremio's Thiago Neves celebrates after scoring a goal in front of empty stands. Reuters

Players from Brazilian club Gremio took to the field wearing masks on Sunday in protest at having to play a  match as fears over coronavirus grow in the South American nation.

The players, led by manager Renato Portaluppi, walked out of the tunnel to play Sao Luiz and lined up before the game wearing white masks over their faces.

"This protest by the players to take the field wearing masks makes implicit our support for the championship to be halted," Paulo Luz, Gremio's director of football, said in quotes reported by Brazilian website UOL. "Life must take precedence."

No spectators were allowed into the Gremio Arena for the Gaucho state championship match.

You can see a selection of images from the match in the photo gallery above.

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