Portugal’s preparation for their crunch fixture against Sweden suffered an almighty jolt as captain and star talisman Cristiano Ronaldo tested positive for COVID-19.
The Portuguese Football Federation has confirmed that its record goalscorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, has tested positive for coronavirus. The Juventus forward led the lines for the Navegadores against France in their UEFA Nations League Round 3 match.
Ronaldo is asymptomatic to the deadly COVID-19 virus and has not shown any effects. He has gone into self-isolation and will be unavailable for Portugal’s match against Sweden on October 14.
While coach Fernando Santos will feel the absence of his captain, it is his club that will feel the brunt of this development. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid ace will be out of contention for Juventus’ trip to Crotone. In addition, his participation in the Old Lady’s first Champions League fixture of the 2020-21 campaign is also in doubt.
Barring any unforeseen issues, Ronaldo should make the team in time for Juve’s Serie A fixture against Verona on October 25. The match will serve as a gauge for Andrea Pirlo ahead of the Turin side’s Champions League encounter against Barcelona on October 28.
Ronaldo started the season brightly, scoring in back-to-back games against Sampdoria and Roma. He had not been able to transfer this success to the international team as Portugal could only manage 0-0 draws against Spain and France.
In addition to ramifications for club and country on a sporting level, Ronaldo’s positive test result will also have an impact on the overall well-being of Portugal teammates and France players. It is within the margins of reason to expect that other players will also be positive for COVID-19.
The situation is similar to what was faced in the aftermath of Napoli – Genoa. Numerous players and backroom staff tested positive, resulting in the cancellation of their trip to Juventus and Genoa’s home fixture against Torino.
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