Atletico Madrid Brazilian full-back Renan Lodi has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus following squad-wide tests this week.
Diego Simeone and his players returned to the club’s Ciudad Deporutiba Atletico. de Madrid training ground after lockdown measures in Spain were relaxed Monday.
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All players and staff, who arrived in gloves and masks for the medical exams, were tested for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and Spanish news agency EFE have reported that Lodi has tested positive.
The report goes on to add that nine of the 222-year-old Brazilian defender’s team-mates have been found to be immune from the virus.
Immunity from the virus suggests that the nine unnamed players have the necessary antibodies – potentially having had and overcome the virus – to combat COVID-19.
LaLiga have already said they are anticipating at least 30 cases of players testing positive for coronavirus. But they are determined that this will not deter them from aiming to restart the season in June.
Players who test positive will be sent into quarantine and tested before they can return.
If players test positive when squads are training together then it will be more of a problem but at this stage before players have even started solitary training there will be no panic.
And according to Spain’s secretary for Sport, Irene Lozano: “We should not dramatise [players testing positive]. We should act as in any other industry that has returned to work.”
A secondary report from AS Diario claims that Lodi was believed to be experiencing symptoms of coronavirus in early March.
A positive test would mean that the defender must now remain in quarantine for at least 14 days, or until a negative result is achieved for the illness via another test.
AS’s story states that the player ‘suffered from breathing difficulties’ and he has been staying at home with his partner, Rafael Lima.
Symptoms emerged just days after Atletico Madrid featured in the Champions League against Liverpool at Anfield on March 12.
LaLiga are working on a four-stage plan to bring top-level football back to Spain which will see training slowly increased in numbers.
Each team in Spain’s top-flight has 11 games left to play, which would see sides play twice a week in a bid to complete the current campaign by July 26.
