SAN FRANCISCO, November 16, (THEWILL) –Â Luis Suarez is the latest high-profile footballer to contract the coronavirus while on international duty. By implication, the Atletico Madrid striker will miss Saturday’s reunion with former club Barcelona. His Uruguayan team-mate Rodrigo Munoz and coach Matias Faral have also tested positive.
What these positive tests do is call into question the viability of international football in the middle of a pandemic. However, FIFA and the various international confederations have pressed ahead, asking players to stay within their social bubbles when travelling abroad to prevent the spread of the virus.
Yet, the frequency of players testing positive on international duty is still on the rise. Recently, Egypt duo Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Elneny have contracted the virus, while Matt Doherty and James McLean both tested positive while playing for Ireland.
Now, Suarez, Munoz and coach Faral have joined the list.
A statement from the Uruguayan FA read:
“The Uruguayan football association reports that swabs have been performed on all members of the senior team, resulting in the players Luis Suarez, Rodrigo Munoz and the official Matias Faral having tested positive for COVID-19, while all the other tests of the delegation are negative.
“The three members mentioned are in good health and the corresponding measures have already been implemented.”
Suarez will most likely undergo further tests to ensure the results are correct, but it appears he is set to miss Barcelona’s trip to the Wanda Metropolitano and Atletico Madrid’s Champions League clash with Lokomotiv Moscow four days later.
In all likelihood, the first match that he may be available for, after a two-week isolation period, would be the visit of Bayern Munich on Tuesday, December 1.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
