Three more Barca players test positive for Covid-19

BARCELONA: Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele, defender Samuel Umtiti and midfielder Gavi have tested positive for Covid-19, the Spanish club said Wednesday, bringing to six the number of infected first team players.

“The players are in good health and self-isolating at home. The Club has reported the cases to the relevant authorities”, it said in a statement.

The three players join left-back Jordi Alba, centre-back Clement Lenglent and defender Dani Alves, who also tested positive this week.

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Barcelona, currently seventh in La Liga, travel to Real Mallorca (15th) on Sunday.

Several Spanish clubs have reported Covid cases, such as Real Sociedad on Monday or Real Madrid in mid-December, but no match has yet been postponed.

According to La Liga and Spanish Football Federation rules, a match is suspended when a team does not have at least 13 players, of which five must be from the first team.

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This puts Sunday’s match between Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano at risk because the latter team has up to 17 infected players, according to press reports, making it the hardest-hit squad in the first division.

Real Sociedad has reported 10 infected players, Cadiz has five and RCD Mallorca four.