19-year-old Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi joined Mikel Arteta as the first two known Premier League figures to test positive for coronavirus, the west London club announced on Thursday, just hours after the north London side confirmed their manager had also contracted the virus.
[ MORE: Arteta tests positive for coronavirus | PL to hold emergency meeting ]
Below are key excerpts from the club’s statement, which you can read in full here:Chelsea men’s team player Callum Hudson-Odoi had a positive test result for Coronavirus returned this evening. Chelsea personnel who had recent close contact with the player in the men’s team building will now self-isolate in line with Government health guidelines. These will include initially the full men’s team squad, coaching staff and a number of backroom staff.
It is expected that those who did not have close contact with Callum will return to work in the coming days. In the meantime, the men’s team building, one of several separate buildings at our training ground, will remain closed. The rest of our training facility, Stamford Bridge and our other facilities are operating as normal.
Callum displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning and has not been at the training ground since then as a precaution. However, his test came in positive this evening and he will undergo a period of self-isolation. Despite testing positive for the virus, Callum is doing well and looking forward to returning to the training ground as soon as it is possible.More coronavirus connections to soccer:
- UEFA announce videoconference meeting next week to discuss plans for Champions League, Europa League and EURO 2020.
- Sampdoria and Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini tests positive for coronavirus.
- Real Madrid players in isolation and La Liga games suspended for the next two weeks after Real basketball player tests positive for coronavirus.
- Serie A is considering alternative ways to conclude its scudetto and relegation races, including playoffs or the non-awarding of a champion.
- Juventus confirm that their defender Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus.
- Sevilla v. Roma and Inter Milan v. Getafe postponed in the UEFA Europa League due to travel restrictions between Spain and Italy.
- Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis being diagnosed with coronavirus. Olympiacos and Forest have since confirmed all of their staff and players have been tested and their tests have come back as negative.
- Chelsea will visit Bayern Munich at an empty Allianz Arena for a Champions League second leg next week.
- Manchester United’s Europa League game at LASK in Austria will be played behind-closed-doors, and matches in Spain’s La Liga will be played in empty stadiums until early April.
- The San Jose Earthquakes’ next home match, March 21, is 11 days away and the Santa Clara Public Health Department has banned all gatherings over 1000 people.