French Atlético Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, like three other players and coach Diego Simeone while Barça announced for its part three new cases within its workforce. The announcements come just before La Liga resumes this weekend after the Christmas break.
Tested positive but all asymptomatic, Diego “Simeone, Koke, Griezmann, (Hector) Herrera and Joao Félix are in isolation at home, thus obeying the recommendations of the health authorities,” Atlético said in a short statement.
Atletico’s Sunday game threatened
The “colchonero” club are due to meet Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, a meeting which could be threatened while this other Madrid club would have for its part 17 positive players according to the Spanish press, which would make it the Spanish first division club most affected by this wave of contaminations.
According to the criteria established by the Spanish Football Federation and La Liga, a match must be postponed or canceled if one of the teams does not have at least 13 suitable players, including a minimum of five from the first team.
Multiplication of cases within La Liga
In the midst of the Omicron wave, cases of Covid-19 are increasing in La Liga, with no less than nine positive players in FC Barcelona after the announcement on Thursday of three new cases: Sergiño Dest, Philippe Coutinho and Ez Abde.
They “are doing well and are in isolation at home,” Barça said in a statement released a few days before their match against DRC Mallorca on Sunday. These three players are added to the French Ousmane Dembélé, Clément Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti as well as to Jordi Alba, Gavi and Daniel Alves.