Spanish side due to play second leg of Manchester City tie at the Etihad Stadium on August 7
Wednesday 29 July 2020 09:02, UK
Mariano Diaz has tested positive for coronavirus, casting doubt on his participation in Real Madrid's Champions League tie at Manchester City on August 7.
Real said tests were conducted on the squad on Monday and though the 26-year-old Dominican international Diaz was in "perfect health", he would be self-isolating at home.
Real, who trail City 2-1 from the first leg of their last-16 tie before the pandemic suspended the competition in March, are set to play the Premier League side in the second leg on August 7 at the Etihad.
The Spanish club announced via a statement: "After the Covid-19 tests carried out individually on our first team yesterday by the Real Madrid Medical Services, our player Mariano has given a positive result.
"The player is in perfect health and complying with the sanitary isolation protocol at home."
Mariano was a long shot to face City to begin with, having been a fringe player for Madrid this season. He has made only seven appearances this campaign, five of them as a substitute in La Liga, and has not appeared in a Champions League matchday squad.
Nevertheless, UEFA has released a statement saying they are confident the game will go ahead as planned despite Diaz's positive test.
It read: "UEFA is in contact with the club and monitoring both the situation and decisions of the relevant Spanish authorities.
"We are confident that this case will not affect the regular staging of the match in question."
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