MADRID (AP) - A player at Spanish soccer club Sevilla has tested positive for the coronavirus, a week before the team’s Europa League match against Roma.
The club did not disclose the name of the player on Wednesday. It said he has not shown symptoms of COVID-19 and was in good health and isolated at home.
The announcement by Sevilla came a day after Real Madrid said forward Mariano tested positive for COVID-19 and also had to be isolated from the rest of the squad. Madrid plays at Manchester City on Aug. 7 in the Champions League.
Sevilla is scheduled to face Roma on Aug. 6 in the round of 16 of the Europa League.
Second-division club Zaragoza, which returned to training this week ahead of the promotion playoffs, also announced that one of its first-team players tested positive. It did not disclose the name of the player.
The club said the entire squad had tested negative before the practice sessions resumed Monday, but a player fell ill with symptoms of COVID-19 on Wednesday and a test confirmed that he was infected. The player involved was isolated and other players told to stay at home with the training sessions suspended. Zaragoza said the team’s facilities will be disinfected and players were expected to be tested again on Thursday.
No date has been set yet for the promotion playoffs as officials try to sort out a solution following the suspension of the final-round match between Deportivo La Coruña and Fuenlabrada, which was fighting for a berth in the playoffs. The game was suspended after players from Fuenlabrada tested positive just hours before kickoff last week. The Spanish league later decided to cancel the match as nearly 30 club members had already tested positive by the weekend, but an official ruling hasn’t been made yet.
Spain has seen a spike in coronavirus cases recently, raising concerns from local authorities after the pandemic appeared to be under control. Spanish clubs involved in European competitions had asked the Spanish league to keep testing players weekly in the lead-up to the tournaments. They also asked the league inspectors to remain with the teams.
Sevilla said the positive result was discovered on Monday after the entire squad was tested as it returned from a break following the end of the Spanish league.
The club said it immediately informed sports and health authorities and temporarily suspended the team’s training sessions. It also disinfected the club’s facilities in accordance with the strict protocols in place because of the pandemic.
Sevilla said the rest of the squad and club members have already undergone two rounds of tests since Monday. No one was infected in the first round, and the results of the second one are expected Thursday.
The team is set to resume training on Thursday under strict health safety measures.
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