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Barcelona announced Wednesday that Sergi Roberto has tested positive for COVID-19 after the latest round of medical checks at the club and is now self-isolating.
The club confirmed the news in a statement on their official website.
After the PCR tests carried out on Tuesday, first team player Sergi Roberto has tested positive for Covid-19. The player is in good health and is isolating at home following his recovery from the injury that occurred on November 21. The club has informed the relevant sports and health authorities, and all those who had contact with the player were tracked via further PCR tests.
It’s worth remembering that Roberto is not with the first-team squad currently as he is sidelined after picking up a thigh injury in Barcelona’s 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid. The versatile star has missed the club’s last two games after been ruled out for two months and won’t return until 2021.
The majority of the Barcelona first-team squad are currently in Hungary preparing for tonight’s Champions League group game against Ferencvaros. Lionel Messi, Philippe Coutinho, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are not with the squad as the trio have been rested.
Barcelona head into the match with qualification to the knockout stages already assured. Ronald Koeman’s men have won all four of their group stage matches and beat Ferencvaros 5-1 in the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou in October.
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Roberto a Regular Under Koeman
Roberto’s injury has been a blow to Barcelona. The versatile 28-year-old has been a regular under manager Ronald Koeman and can play in defense or further forward in midfield. His preferred position is in midfield but he has most regularly been used at right-back in recent seasons.
The La Masia graduate had made 10 appearances for Barca this season before suffering his injury against Atletico. Roberto scored his first goal of the season in the 3-0 win over Celta Vigo and also picked up two assists in Barca’s 5-2 victory over Real Betis.
Summer signing Sergino Dest will now fill in at right-back while Roberto is sidelined and has the chance to cement his position in the team following his move from Eredivisie team Ajax.
Roberto is just one of several players currently out with injury at Barcelona. Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Ronald Araujo, and teenage forward Ansu Fati have also been forced on to the sidelines in the early weeks of the campaign.
Barcelona & COVID-19
Roberto is the fourth Barcelona player to test positive for coronavirus. New signing Miralem Pjanic recorded a positive test in the summer which meant he was forced to delay his arrival from Juventus to the Camp Nou.
Defender Samuel Umtiti tested positive in August but was not with the first-team squad at the time, as the players were in Portugal for the final rounds of the 2019-20 Champions League.
Jean-Clair Todibo also confirmed he had tested positive before the start of pre-season training. The defender, therefore, missed the start of pre-season and subsequently sealed a loan move to Benfica in October.
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