Champions League: Covid-19 sidelines Real Madrid’s Mariano.

 

Still basking in the euphoria of clinching their 34th league La Liga title, Real Madrid’s Mariano Diaz has tested positive to coronavirus. This coming barely a week to the club’s Champions League second leg clash against Manchester City at the Ethihad Stadium.

The club confirmed that Diaz returned a positive Covid-19 test and is now in quarantine at home after missing training on Tuesday.

Spanish newspaper Marca is reporting that Diaz returned a positive test on his return from holiday following a short trip after the conclusion of the LaLiga season.

A club statement read: ‘After the COVID-19 tests carried out individually on our first football team yesterday (Monday) by the Real Madrid Medical Services, our player Mariano has given a positive result.

‘The player is in perfect health and complying with the sanitary isolation protocol at home.’

The Spanish giants are due to play the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie at the Etihad Stadium on August 7.

Mariano will now have to undertake a two-week quarantine period, ruling him out of the game against the Premier League side.

The 26-year-old took to Instagram to express his gratitude to fans and a desire to return to training when it’s safe to do so.

He said: ‘I very much appreciate your messages of support. I am perfectly fine, thank God. My family are also great. Now I am confined at home. I hope to return to normal soon and be with my teammates.’

The news comes amid the ongoing row between the UK and Spanish Governments after the UK re-imposed the requirement for travellers arriving from Spain to spend 14 days in quarantine.

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But the positive test is now likely to bring the game into question, particularly if more Real players test positive in their next round of testing.

Pep Guardiola’s side hold a 2-1 aggregate lead from the first leg at the Bernabeu way back in February. Captain Sergio Ramos was also sent off so he will be missing for the return leg.