Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has tested positive for Covid-19.
The club confirmed the news in a short statement released on Tuesday morning, the day before the reigning LaLiga champions are due to face Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final second-leg tie at Anfield.
Ramos will now enter a period of self-isolation, though the vastly experienced defender had already been ruled out of the clash on Merseyside with the same calf muscle injury picked up on international duty with Spain that also saw him sidelined for the 3-1 home win over Jurgen Klopp’s side last week.
The 35-year-old - whose current Madrid contract is due to expire this summer - has not featured since the 3-1 Champions League last-16 second-leg win over Serie A side Atalanta on March 16 and it remains to be seen how much of a part he will be able to play in the run-in in what could well be his final season with Los Blancos.
Real Madrid went top of LaLiga after a 2-1 Clasico victory over Barcelona on Saturday, though now trail rivals Atletico by a single point with eight matches left to play in 2020/21 after Diego Simeone’s men subsequently claimed a draw away at Real Betis.
Zinedine Zidane is dealing with a host of injury problems ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Liverpool, with Lucas Vázquez joining Ramos, Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal on the sidelines.
Centre-back Raphael Varane is also out after testing positive for coronavirus before the first leg against Liverpool.
