Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny tested positive for coronavirus while on international duty with Egypt
(Picture: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Arsenal and Tottenham are the latest clubs to feel the effects of the international break after players from both sides tested positive for Covid-19.
Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny and Tottenham defender Matt Doherty tested positive on Monday while on international duty with Egypt and the Republic of Ireland respectively, meaning they will miss this weekend’s Premier League matches.
The news came when the scrutiny on international football taking place in the current climate increased as:
- The latest round of Premier League testing on clubs’ players and staff returned 16 positive tests - the highest number of cases in a single round since the new season began in September.
- Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spent the night stuck in an airport before playing for Gabon against Gambia.
- Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho hit out at the international schedule once more, criticising friendly matches and coronavirus security.
Mourinho has been one of the most vocal critics of international football and his sarcastic post on Instagram yesterday came in the wake of Doherty testing positive, meaning he will miss Saturday’s game against Manchester City.
It also came after pictures emerged online of South Korea’s training camp in Austria, where forward Heung-min Son currently is, that appeared to show a runner exercising on a running track that circled the team’s pitch.
South Korea have had players test positive for Covid-19 during the current break, but Son has not been one of them.
“Amazing week of football,” Mourinho posted, along with a picture of himself in Tottenham’s club gym. “Great emotions in the national team matches, superb friendlies and total safety.
"Covid test results after matches [have] been played, randomers running on the pitch while team sessions are taking place and much more. After another training session with only six players, it is now time to take care of myself.”
Tottenham defender Matt Doherty also tested positive while away with the Republic of Ireland
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty ImagesArsenal have also felt the impact of the international break. After testing positive, Elneny is not showing symptoms, but he is now isolating in Cairo and will miss Sunday’s trip to Leeds.
There were further issues for Arsenal as Aubameyang and his Gabon team-mates were held overnight on Sunday at an airport in Gambia amid reported complications over Covid-19 testing. They eventually played their match on Monday, with Aubameyang playing the full 90 minutes as Gabon lost 2-1.
The Arsenal captain, who is now due to return to his club, has publicly criticised the Confederation of African Football and they have launched an investigation into the matter.
All of this has occurred after the Premier League said on Monday that 16 people had returned positive results in their latest round of testing.
That is the highest number of cases in a single round since the new season began and does not include the players testing positive while on international duty.
