Real Madrid stars in quarantine over coronavirus outbreak

Real Madrid went into quarantine on Thursday as La Liga announced Spain’s top two divisions will be suspended for at least two weeks over the coronavirus.

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@RealMadrid announces that a member of our basketball first team has tested positive for coronavirus. The recommendation of remaining in quarantine has been followed with immediate effect, with this measure applied to both the basketball and football first teams, given that the two squads share the facilities at Real Madrid City. In addition, a decision has been made to close our training ground and it is recommended that all Real Madrid staff who work at Real Madrid City remain in quarantine. The EuroLeague basketball match and the LaLiga football fixture scheduled for today and tomorrow will not be played. – El @RealMadrid comunica que un jugador de nuestro primer equipo de baloncesto ha dado positivo tras las pruebas realizadas de coronavirus COVID-19. Desde este momento se ha efectuado la recomendación de permanecer en cuarentena tanto al primer equipo de baloncesto como al primer equipo de fútbol, dado que las dos plantillas comparten instalaciones en la Ciudad Real Madrid. Asimismo, se ha decidido cerrar las instalaciones de nuestra ciudad deportiva y se recomienda también que permanezca en cuarentena todo el personal del Real Madrid que presta sus servicios en la Ciudad Real Madrid. Los partidos que estaban previstos para hoy y mañana, correspondientes a la Euroliga de baloncesto y LaLiga de fútbol, no se disputarán. #RealMadrid

A post shared by Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) on Mar 12, 2020 at 4:30am PDT

La Liga authorities made the decision after Real Madrid confirmed its senior football team is in quarantine after one of the club’s basketball players tested positive for the virus.

Real Madrid’s football and basketball players share facilities at Ciudad Real Madrid, the club’s training ground in Valdebebas.

A club statement read: “A player from our basketball first team has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

“Since then, the recommendation has been made to quarantine both the basketball first team and the football first team, given that the two squads share facilities in Ciudad Real Madrid.

“Likewise, it has been decided to close the facilities at our training ground and it is also recommended that all Real Madrid personnel who work there remain in quarantine.”

La Liga has also followed Italy’s Serie A in suspending its matches, following a meeting on Thursday with the Spanish Football Federation and the Spanish Players Union (AFE).

Official statement.

LaLiga confirms suspension of the competition for Matchdays 28 and 29.

📝 https://t.co/8PugprnNoP pic.twitter.com/lkAlD64WUA

— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) March 12, 2020

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It means league fixtures over the next two weekends in Spains’ top two divisions will be postponed.

A La Liga statement read: “In view of the circumstances known this morning, referring to the quarantine established in Real Madrid and the possible positive tests from players at other clubs, La Liga considers that the circumstances now exist to continue with the next phase of action against COVID-19.”

“La Liga agrees to suspend at least the next two matchdays,” the statement added. “This decision will be re-evaluated after the quarantine at affected clubs and other possible situations that could occur have ended.”