Real Madrid were crowned La Liga champions and still have the chance to lift the Champions League as well, but they will be without striker Mariano for the clash against Manchester City
Real Madrid will be without Mariano Diaz for next month’s Champions League clash against Manchester City after he tested positive for Covid-19.
Coronavirus tests were carried out amongst Zinedine Zidane’s squad on Monday ahead of a return to training.
And multiple reports in Spain have confirmed that Mariano returned a positive test after enjoying a short break following the end of the La Liga season.
Mariano will now self-isolate at home, and has not returned to Real’s training base since testing positive.
The 26-year-old has also had no contact with players or staff.
No other players are understood to have returned a positive test after the initial round of screening.
Real have since confirmed the news themselves, and insist that he has not yet shown any symptoms.
A club statement read: “After the COVID-19 tests carried out individually on our first football team yesterday 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.”
Real face Manchester City in the Champions League Round of 16 on Friday August 7 at the Etihad Stadium
Spanish radio reporter Fernando Burgos has thrown into doubt whether the game will go ahead though.
Reporting the news on Mariano, he ended his tweet with: “The game against Manchester City is lost.”
The clash is currently locked going into the second leg at 2-2.
The victor will book their place at the mini tournament in Lisbon the following week.
Mariano was one of several players to enjoy a holiday following the conclusion of La Liga on July 19.
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