Barcelona confirm positive covid-19 test ahead of Champions League quarter-final
Football
By
Mirror
| Aug 12, 2020
Barcelona have confirmed a positive coronavirus test ahead of their Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.
However, the Blaugrana have declared that it was not posted by a member of the first-team squad that will travel to Lisbon on Thursday.
Instead, it is one of nine senior players currently separate from the first-team squad available for the Champions League last eight.
Those nine returned to the club's training ground on Tuesday for testing ahead of medical checks on Wednesday and the beginning of pre-season on Thursday, having either been signed by the club or returning from loan spells elsewhere.
A club statement confirmed on Wednesday however that one had tested positive and had subsequently been placed in isolation.
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"After the PCR tests carried out yesterday Tuesday afternoon to the group of nine players who today have to start pre-season, one of them has tested positive for Covid-19.
"The affected person is asymptomatic, is in good health and is isolated at home.
"The club has informed the competent sports and health authorities. In addition, all the people who had contact with the player have been traced to carry out the corresponding PCR tests.
"The player has not been in contact with the members of the first team who plan to travel to Lisbon tomorrow Thursday."
The nine players who undertook tests on Tuesday include new £27million signing Francisco Trincão, the 20-year-old signed from Portuguese side Braga.
The others are Matheus Fernandes, Jean-Clair Todibo, Moussa Wagué, Carles Aleñá, Rafinha, Miranda and Oriol Busquets.
Barca have not named who gave the positive test.
The Blaugrana, who defeated Napoli at Camp Nou in their Champions League last 16 tie at the weekend, are optimistic that it will have no bearing on their clash with Bayern going ahead at the Estadio da Luz.
The two meet in the last eight, with Barca looking to lift Europe's premier club prize for the first time since 2015, having lost out in La Liga to bitter rivals Real Madrid.