Lionel Messi, three others from PSG have given a positive COVID Football News

Defender Juan Bernat, goalkeeper Sergio Rico and midfielder Nathan Bitumazala are the other players who return positive tests.

Paris St Germain striker Lionel Messi and three other players have tested positive for COVID-19, the French Premier League club has said.

The Argentine international Messi joined PSG’s Barcelona club in August and the 34-year-old has scored six goals in 16 matches in all competitions with Paris.

Defender Juan Bernat, goalkeeper Sergio Rico and midfielder Nathan Bitumazala were the other players who tested positive.

PSG said the four players were isolated and subject to proper health protocols.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are in first place in the Ligue 1 standings with 46 points after 19 games, 13 points behind second-placed Nice. They will travel to third-tier club Vannes on Monday for the quarter-finals of the French Cup.

“This is the danger we face, globally,” Pochettino said.

“Contact in football is inevitable, we share the locker room. The risk of contamination is there, but we take all necessary measures to ensure that one player does not infect others. “

Pochettino said he was not sure Messi, who is in Argentina, would take part in the next league match on January 9 at Olympique Lyonnais.

“Messi has had a regular relationship with our medical team and when he has a negative examination, he will go to France, but we don’t know more than that. I don’t know if he will play against Lyon, “he said.

“Until he gets negative evidence in Argentina, he will not be able to travel to France. So it depends on the test when he can travel.

France reported 219,126 confirmed COVID-19 cases within 24 hours on Saturday, the fourth consecutive day the country has registered. More than 200,000 cases.

France has joined the United States, India, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Russia in reporting more than 10 million cases so far.

PSG also said that Brazilian striker Neymar, who has an ankle injury, was about three weeks away from returning to training.

“Neymar Jr. will continue his treatment in Brazil until January 9 with Paris Saint Germain medical and performance staff. The return to training will still be in 3 weeks,” PSG said in a statement.