Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo has been exempted from Portugal’s fixture against Sweden after testing positive for coronavirus.
The Portuguese Football Federation affirmed the news in an official statement on Tuesday, which reads: “Cristiano Ronaldo was released from training with the national team after a positive test for Covid-19, so he will not face Sweden.
“The Portugal international is doing well, without symptoms, and in isolation.
The remaining players in the squad underwent new tests on Tuesday morning after CR7’s positive test. They all produced a negative result and will be available to Fernando Santos for training this afternoon.”
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Ronaldo will be missing in action in Portugal’s Nation’s League clash against Sweden on Wednesday night as he begins a ten-day period of self-isolation.
The 35-year-old will also miss out in Juventus’ fixture against Crotone in Serie A this weekend, as well as their Champions League group stage opener against Dynamo Kiev on October 20.
Following this development, it is uncertain whether Ronaldo will appear against Catalan giants Barcelona as he must be completely covid-free at least one week before the clash, which is slated for the 28th.
The Seleccao skipper played the full 90 minutes of Portugal’s 0-0 draw with 2018 World Cup winners France on Sunday, winning his 167th international cap in the process.
That result ensured that Fernando Santos’ side stayed top of League A, Group 3 on goal difference ahead of Les Bleus, with Croatia four points further back in third.
Ronaldo had been in top form prior to the clash with France, scoring three goals in his first two appearances at the start of Juve’s latest domestic campaign.
He was, however, denied the chance to add to that tally when the Bianconeri’s home fixture against Napoli on October 4 was postponed in controversial fashion.
Two players from Napoli’s squad tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the meeting at the Allianz Stadium, and they were subsequently prevented from travelling by the local health authority (ASL).
Juve were angered by the postponement as they claimed protocols had been breached, but the president of the Campania region of Italy, Vincenzo De Luca, said the Partenopei deserved thanks for protecting Ronaldofrom the virus.
De Luca said: “Nobody has thanked us for preventing Cristiano Ronaldo from getting the virus. Try and imagine it, If Ronaldo had got the virus a week later, we would have hit the front pages even of the New York Times.”
Ronaldo will be one of the the first high-profile footballers to contract the virus.
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