Skip to content

UEFA: Mariano's COVID-19 diagnosis shouldn't affect City-Madrid match

Soccrates Images / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Hours after Tuesday's announcement that Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz has COVID-19, UEFA said it's confident the club's upcoming Champions League match against Manchester City will go ahead as planned on Aug. 7.

Diaz tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating at home, the La Liga champions said in a statement.

Should Mariano be asked to quarantine for the recommended 14 days, he will miss the second leg of Madrid's last-16 Champions League tie at the Etihad. City currently lead 2-1 on aggregate.

UEFA told BBC Sport it's "in contact with the club and monitoring both the situation and decisions of the relevant Spanish authorities."

It added: "We are confident that this case will not affect the regular staging of the match in question."

The 26-year-old was unlikely to play a part in the comeback attempt. He was an unused substitute in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Feb. 26, which was played before the coronavirus pandemic forced leagues across Europe to suspend operations.

Madrid's entire squad entered quarantine in March after one of the club's basketball players tested positive for the coronavirus. Madrid's football and basketball teams share common areas at the Real Madrid City training complex on the outskirts of the Spanish capital.

Though Mariano has made just seven appearances this season - all of them off the bench - he scored in a 2-0 win over Barcelona to help Madrid win the La Liga title.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox