Atletico Madrid have had their build-up for a crucial UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie with RB Leipzig thrown into turmoil after the club confirmed that two members of their proposed travelling squad have tested positive for coronavirus.
Two Atletico Madrid Players Test Positive for Coronavirus
Both Players Unnamed
The Spanish giants, who are set to face RB Leipzig on Thursday, are due travel to Portugal for the revised conclusion of the tournament in the next few days.
Atletico, who in the last match prior to the postponement eliminated last year’s winners Liverpool to qualify for the quarter-finals, confirmed two unnamed individuals have contracted the virus, and all necessary health and footballing bodies have been notified.
Los Rojiblancos also confirmed they will now follow the official guidance issued by UEFA to clubs in the event of positive tests. Additional tests will now be carried out throughout the entire club.
The players who returned positive tests will now self-isolate and will not be joining the squad on the flight to Lisbon.
The La Liga side, led by Diego Simeone, also confirmed in the statement that their training schedule will need to be modified as a result, perhaps meaning less time to train in their new Lisbon base than previously planned.
The derailment of the schedule must act as huge blow to the preparations as Simeone prepares his side for the challenge of Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, albeit Leipzig will be without Timo Werner, who opted not to see out the completion having joined Chelsea.
The format of the final stages of the Champions League has been amended following the pandemic with the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final all now one-off matches and held in one location; Lisbon, Portugal. All matches will, of course, be played with strict protocol in place and behind closed doors.
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