PARIS: Neymar and three Paris Saint-Germain footballers have contracted the coronavirus after the Champions League runners-up announced several positive tests.
“Three Paris Saint-Germain players have confirmed positive Sars CoV2 tests and are subject to the appropriate health protocol,” PSG said in a statement. “All of the players and coaching staff will continue to undergo tests in the coming days.”
Neymar was reportedly one of those who tested positive along with teammates Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes. The cases are linked to a holiday trip to the Spanish Mediterranean island of Ibiza that several PSG players took following the Champions League final defeat by Bayern Munich.
The news is a setback to the French champions’ preparations for the scheduled start of their Ligue 1 campaign next week, with a game set for 10th September at risk of being postponed.
PSG had already said that two unnamed players had reported back with coronavirus symptoms following a holiday. French media had reported they were Argentinian duo Di Maria and Paredes.
Those two along with Neymar were among several players who travelled to Ibiza following the Champions League final, mixing with friends and family after spending the previous weeks isolated with teammates in Portugal.
PSG have played five competitive games in the last six months. After playing against Lens on September 10, PSG are then due to play bitter rivals Marseille three days later.
Mauro Icardi, Ander Herrera, Keylor Navas and Marquinhos were also in Ibiza. Navas’ wife revealed that the Brazilian defender had been placed in isolation while awaiting the results of his own test.
Various members of the squad are set to play for their countries in the UEFA Nations League, with Kylian Mbappe and Presnel Kimpembe in France’s squad for a game against Croatia.
Strict French league rules stipulate that collective team training sessions must be cancelled if a club has at least four positive tests over an eight-day period with match postponements possible.
The last French season ended early with 10 rounds of matches left unplayed because of the health crisis and the start of the new French season has already been impacted.
In recent weeks, several clubs have reported positive tests, including Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Nantes and Montpellier. Marseille’s game against Saint-Etienne on August 21, which was set to be the season opener, was postponed.
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