Cristiano's coronavirus own goal

LISBON－Cristiano Ronaldo was said to be "fine and sunbathing" on Tuesday after testing positive for the coronavirus which has ruled the superstar out of a Nations League match for Portugal and at least two games for his club, Juventus.

Ronaldo was "asymptomatic" and "will not play against Sweden" in Wednesday night's Nations League match, the Portuguese federation said on its website.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner played in Portugal's goalless Nations League draw against France in Paris on Sunday.

The federation added that the rest of the Portugal squad were "all negative" after tests on Tuesday morning, as was the France squad, according to the French Football Federation.

"We have respected all the health measures...and yet it happened," Portugal coach Fernando Santos told a news conference. "We have been doing tests every day."

Santos said Ronaldo's positive result came on Monday and he remained in isolation in his room until he could be tested again on Tuesday along with the rest of the squad. He said the players have been tested seven times since they arrived.

"Every day we have been tested and of course that leaves us with a bitter taste because we have done everything right," said Santos. "We followed every health rule. Unfortunately, this still happened. That's life."

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini said he had spoken to Ronaldo.

"He's fine and was sunbathing, he'll be back when he's ready," he reported.

The 35-year-old striker has scored 101 goals for Portugal and will be a huge absence for his team against Sweden as it aims to hold onto top spot in its group.

His diagnosis is also a blow for Juventus, as the health protocol in force for Serie A stipulates Ronaldo must self-isolate for 10 days and then record a negative test before he can resume playing.

That means Ronaldo will miss Juve's Serie A match at Crotone on Saturday and its opening Champions League group-stage game at Dynamo Kiev in a week's time.

He also risks missing Juve's Champions League clash with Barcelona on Oct 28, which was set to pit Ronaldo against his old rival Lionel Messi.

Chiellini said: "We footballers know we take risks, and we are ready to take them, trying to minimize them as much as possible with all the necessary precautions.

"We must move forward because we know that football is important economically, and for the social value. In the coming weeks there will be other closures, and I believe football is important to people.

"The real victory is to finish the season, the result is secondary."

He added: "We cannot stop. We are not worried, but clearly we often talk about it among ourselves with the awareness of what lies ahead."

Ronaldo's test result reopens the controversy over his departure from Turin for the Portugal training camp, which was, according to local health authorities in Italy's Piedmont region, a violation of the virus protocol.

Ronaldo and other Juventus stars left to join up with their national teams despite the Italian champion's squad being in isolation after two staff members tested positive for the virus.

Roberto Testi, a director of the regional health authority, said that local prosecutors had been informed of the players' unauthorized departure.

Highest profile

Ronaldo, who has also starred for Manchester United and Real Madrid, is the latest high-profile soccer player to test positive for COVID-19, which has killed over a million people and infected around 37 million since the start of the pandemic earlier this year.

Brazil forward Neymar, his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic have also tested positive for the virus in recent weeks.

English Premier League champion Liverpool placed Senegalese forward Sadio Mane and Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara in isolation after they tested positive last week.

Two of Ronaldo's Portugal teammates－goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and defender Jose Fonte, formerly of Chinese club Dalian Yifang－returned positive tests, forcing them out of the Nations League matches.

The international break has been marked by a host of players contracting the virus as it continues its spread worldwide.

The Republic of Ireland had five players ruled out just before its Nations League draw with Wales after one squad member tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, Ukraine had to draft in 45-year-old assistant coach Oleksandr Shovkovsky for last week's 7-1 friendly defeat in France as the virus swept through the squad.

Ukraine also lost 2-1 to Germany on Saturday in the Nations League with 14 players missing either through injury or positive virus test results.

Many nations that suppressed their first coronavirus outbreaks are now battling a second wave.

Agence France - Presse