La Liga side Valencia C.F. revealed that 35% of their playing and backroom staff tested positive for Covid-19. The statement on the club’s official website said that all cases are asymptomatic.
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Champions League tie in Italy Was the Catalyst
Last month Valencia traveled to Italy for their Round of 16 tie against Atalanta. The worst affected country in Europe is Italy. The nation has seen more than 23,000 cases and over 2,000 fatalities.
In a statement, Valencia said, ?Despite the strict measures adopted by the club after their UEFA Champions League game against Atalanta on February 19th in Milan -an area confirmed as ‘high risk’ by the Italian authorities days afterwards-, which included maintaining a distance between the squad and club employees/the general public, these latest results show that the exposure inherent to such matches has caused a positive test rate of around 35%.?
The club added that all those involved are isolated at home. They are receiving medication and carrying out their respective training plans. Valencia CF seems motivated in keeping them healthy and more importantly ready to hit the ground running if and when the season resumes.
Imago
Valencia defender Ezequiel Garay
Earlier, Valencia?s Argentine international Ezequiel Garay took to Instagram to announce that he had contracted the Covid-19. Garay was among 5 Valencia players who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday.
Following the outbreak of the Virus, La Liga announced the suspension of matches until the first weekend of April. Spain called for a state of emergency and with the EU proposing a ban of all non-essential travel for 30 days over Corona virus fears. This guarantees the suspension on footballing activities extending beyond the proposed resumption date.
Valencia aren’t alone
Real Madrid is another team in Spain that has been affected. Their players entered quarantine after a member of the Real Madrid basketball club tested positive for the virus. Spanish football has seen one death associated with the pandemic. Malaga based club Atletico Portada Alto’s youth team manager Francisco Garcia, 21 passed away yesterday.
