Lionel Messi, 34, tested positive for the coronavirus and had his return to Paris postponed.
He is one of four PSG players with Covid-19 – tests by full-back Juan Bernat and reserves Sergio Rico and Nathan Bitumazal are also positive.
At a press conference, coach Mauricio Pochettino announced that the four are out of the match against Vannes Olympique for the French Cup this Monday (3), as well as Neymar, who is undergoing treatment for a sprained ankle in Brazil until January 9th.
Pochettino says Messi will only be able to return to France when the test for Covid-19 is negative — and that his return to the field depends on the player’s assessment.
On Saturday, France experienced its fourth consecutive day with more than 200,000 registered Covid cases.
“We’ve been living with the virus for almost two years. Everyone knows what to do to avoid the contamination. But it’s always possible to catch it, as there are things we don’t control,” said the coach.
“It’s the risk we live with all over the world. In football, contact is inevitable, we share a locker 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 technician.
Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in August 2020, with a contract until 2023, with the possibility of renewal. In 16 games for the Parisian team, Messi has scored 8 goals.
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