Leonel Messi is one of the four PSG players who test positive for COVID-19

The Argentine star Leonel Messi is one of the four players on the PSG squad who have tested positive for COVID-19, the French club announced this Sunday, a day before their round of 32 match of the French Cup against the amateur team Vannes.

Leo Messi, the Spanish side Juan Bernat, the spanish goalkeeper Sergio Rico and the midfielder Nathan Bitumazala “At this time they respect isolation and are subjected to the adapted health protocol,” added the club.

The “Flea” tested positive in Argentina, where he spent a week on vacation as a family, in his hometown of Rosario, where he must remain until a new negative test.

“He is constantly in contact with our medical service. When he tests negative, he will be able to return to France ”, the Argentine PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino.

PSG does not escape the strong progression of the pandemic caused by the Ómicron variant, which in England led to the postponement of several Premier League matches.

Before the match in Lorient (1-1), on December 22, the last before the Christmas truce, the German Thilo Kehrer and Colin Dagba they had tested positive.

Concentration in the Gulf

Mauricio Pochettino admitted this Sunday that there are doubts about the realization of the concentration in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where PSG should be from January 16 to 19.

“We have been living with the virus for almost two years. Everyone knows what to do to avoid being contaminated. But you can always catch, since there are things that we do not control ”, indicated the trainer.

On Saturday, Bernat went to the PSG training center, like most of his teammates, where he tested positive before participating in the re-practice session.

“It is the risk we live with, globally. In football, contact is inevitable, we share a dressing room … The risk of contamination is there, but we take all the necessary measures to try to prevent one player from contaminating the others, ”explained the Argentine coach.

Leo Messi had not taken part in the first match in the French Cup of Paris SG, whose next duel in Ligue 1 is scheduled for January 9.

The Olympic Club valves, rival Paris SG on Monday, is currently eighth in their National 2 group (French fourth division), while the Parisian club is the record holder for French Cup titles (14).

Neymar is still injured

On the other hand, Paris SG confirmed that it will continue deprived of its other star, the Brazilian Neymar that “he will continue his treatment in Brazil until January 9 with members of the club’s medical team”.

“His return to training is scheduled for approximately three weeks,” says PSG.

Neymar had been the victim of a sprained left ankle on November 28 in his team’s victory against him Saint Etienne in Ligue 1.

His absence had then been evaluated between six and eight weeks. (D)