COVID-19 affects Espanyol’s return to pre-season training

MADRID, July 5– Espanyol’s return to pre-season training was affected on Monday with the confirmation of three COVID-19 cases amongst their players and technical staff. The Barcelona- based club returned to La Liga in Spain at the end of last season after winning promotion from the second division just a year after being relegated. Elsewhere in Spain, Celta Vigo…

MADRID, July 5 (Xinhua) — Espanyol’s return to pre-season training was affected on Monday with the confirmation of three COVID-19 cases amongst their players and technical staff.

The Barcelona-based club returned to La Liga in Spain at the end of last season after winning promotion from the second division just a year after being relegated. The squad was due to start preparations for the new season on Monday after undergoing PCR tests for COVID-19 on Sunday.

“The round of PCR tests, which were carried out on July 4th on all the members of the squad: players and technical staff have confirmed the existence of three positives for COVID-19. According to the sanitary protocols established by the club and authorities, the three affected people have immediately been isolated in their homes and do not currently have any symptoms,” informed the club on its official website, without naming those affected.

The club added that a fourth person returned a non-conclusive test result and will take a further test.

Several Espanyol players were affected by COVID-19 last season, including Chinese international forward Wu Lei, who tested positive for the coronavirus during the first wave of infections in March 2020.

Elsewhere in Spain, Celta Vigo have announced the signing of Argentinean midfielder Franco Cervi on a three-year contract from the Portuguese side Benfica. Enditem