After Daniele Rugani, Blaise Matuidi has become the second Juventus footballer to be tested positive for the novel coronavirus informed, the Turin-based club late on Tuesday.
Second player tested positive for COVID-19https://t.co/y1c3b62lCE pic.twitter.com/gr6rNQrZfB
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) March 17, 2020
“Blaise Matuidi has undergone medical tests that have revealed his positivity to the Coronavirus-COVID-19,” Juventus said in a statement on their official website.
The Serie A club has further revealed that Matuidi, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, has been in voluntary isolation since March 11 and is “well and asymptomatic”.
Having joined the Bianconeri in the summer of 2017, Matuidi has made 31 appearances this season, providing one goal and two assists.
Defender Daniele Rugani was the first Juve player to be tested positive for the COVID-19. The Italian international too, reportedly, was asymptomatic and is in quarantine at the moment.
Meanwhile, Juventus have ordered mandatory self-isolation to all the players. Players and staff from fellow Serie A clubs Fiorentina and Sampdoria have also tested positive. All domestic sporting activity in Italy has been suspended until at least April 3.
The deadly coronavirus, which has killed over 7,900 people and affected more than 1,98,000, has severely affected the sporting calendars as well. In football, all the top five European leagues, including the La Liga in Spain have been postponed till further notice.
The UEFA last week postponed all the Champions League and Europa League games that were scheduled to be played on March 17 and 18 till further notice.
Meanwhile, the UEFA on Tuesday decided to postpone the Euro 2020 by a year. The continental event, which was scheduled to be held from 12 June to 12 July 2020, will now be played from June 11 to July 11 next year.