Vannes: Lionel Messi has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been placed in self-isolation, according to his club Paris Saint-Germain.
Four PSG players tested positive for the virus before of a French Cup match against Vannes, including the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Covid-19 was also mentioned by PSG in a statement issued on Saturday night by one of their employees. At the time, none of them were identified, but the club later mentioned Messi, left defender Juan Bernat, backup goalkeeper Sergio Rico, and 19-year-old midfielder Nathan Bitumazala in a statement on the team’s medical update on Sunday.
PSG is now playing in Vannes, which is the third division of French football.
Monaco, the runner-up from last year, was in play later Sunday against second-tier Quevilly-Rouen, one of 13 games set for the day as teams compete for a spot in the final 16.
Monaco said on Saturday that seven players have Covid-19, although none have shown any alarming symptoms and are undergoing isolation.
Meanwhile, France reported 219,126 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in a 24-hour period on Saturday, the country’s fourth consecutive day with over 200,000 instances.
More than 10 million cases have been reported in France, India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
PSG leads Ligue 1 with 46 points after 19 games, 13 points ahead of Nice in second place.
On Monday, they will travel to Vannes, a third-tier team, for a round-of-32 encounter in the French Cup.
