Mbappe to miss Croatia match after positive Covid-19 test
08 September, 2020
Kylian Mbappe has been eliminated of France's Nations League game against World Cup runners-up Croatia on Tuesday after testing positive for Covid-19, national team management said Monday.
Mbappe, who took part in Monday evening's work out before learning the result of his test, may be the seventh Paris Saint-Germain player to contract the virus. Neymar was among the first to test positive the other day.
"He was set aside from the group after acquiring the results towards the end of training before time for his home at night," French team management said.
"Like the remaining squad, Mbappe had undergone a test ahead of meeting up. The effect was negative like the one on Wednesday" requested by UEFA prior to the Sweden fixture on Saturday in Solna, management said.
Mbappe scored the winner for the world champions in a 1-0 victory over Sweden in their opening Nations League encounter.
However, he was likely to be rested for the game at the Stade de France against Croatia, with PSG's opening match of the Ligue 1 season scheduled for Thursday away to Lens.
The Lens game was primarily due to go ahead on August 29, but was controversially postponed to give the PSG squad a break after their set you back the Champions League final in Lisbon on August 23, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
Instead of playing the game, their squad were granted time off but the club has been left to cope with a cluster of coronavirus cases which raise questions about why the French league made a decision to postpone PSG's match in Lens, only for so a lot of their players to visit abroad on holiday throughout a pandemic.
Mbappe could also sit out Sunday's clash with bitter rivals Marseille. In line with the league's health protocols, a new player who tests positive must self-isolate for eight days.
The French league (LFP) recently loosened its coronavirus protocols in the top two divisions to permit clubs to play regardless if 10 players have tested positive.
The LFP said it had taken the decision "with the public authorities" and in response to "requests from clubs".
Until now, matches could possibly be postponed after four cases at a club over eight consecutive days.
Beneath the new protocol, the LFP said, a club can fulfil fixtures if 20 of the 30 players registered for league matches, including at least one goalkeeper, test negative.
Mbappe may be the fourth player to be withdrawn from the France squad following a positive Covid-19 test.
Paul Pogba was omitted right before coach Didier Deschamps revealed his 23-man squad last month, with Houssem Aouar forced out a couple of days later.
Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, who actually tested positive on August 16 with Marseille, also left camp following two further positive tests likely due to "residual" traces of the virus.
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