Real Madrid forward Mariano Diaz has tested positive for COVID-19, casting doubt on his participation in their Champions League tie at Manchester City on August 8.
Real Madrid said in a statement that tests were conducted on the squad on Monday and that though Diaz was in “perfect health”, he would be self-isolating at home.
“After the Covid-19 tests carried out individually on our first football team yesterday by the Real Madrid Medical Services, our player Mariano has given a positive result,” read the statement.
“The player is in perfect health and complying with the sanitary isolation protocol at home.”
Real trail Manchester City 2-1 from the first leg of their last-16 tie before the pandemic suspended the competition in March, are set to play the Premier League side in the second leg on August 8 at the Etihad.
The Champions League knockout stages from the quarter-finals onwards will be played as single legs in Lisbon.
Mariano has featured fleetingly for Real this season, making five substitute appearances in LaLiga, although he did score in the 2-0 Clasico win over Barcelona in March.
Spain has seen a surge in COVID-19 positives with thousands of new cases reported on a daily basis in the past week, taking its tally up to over 296,000 cases.
Britain has imposed a 14-day quarantine for travellers from Spain, but British media reported that elite sports teams travelling into the country will be exempt.
Over the weekend, Spanish side Fuenlabrada confirmed they had 28 positive cases at the club, including a few cases in Madrid where the team is based, costing the second division club a shot at promotion to LaLiga.
