Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone has Covid-19, confirms club

Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone has the coronavirus.

The passionate Argentine coach, 50, wasn’t showing any symptoms and was in isolation, the club said on Saturday.

Simeone and the rest of the team were tested on Friday. The club did not say if anyone else was infected. Atlético's squad and staff returned early from a pre-season trip to Los Angeles de San Rafael, just outside Madrid, after an initial positive test.

"The analysis of these new samples in the laboratory has determined that our trainer, Diego Pablo Simeone, has given a positive result for Covid-19," read the club statement. 

"Fortunately, our coach does not present any symptoms and is at his home isolated and fulfilling the corresponding quarantine after being with the team since last Monday."

The Spanish league stopped play from March until June because of the pandemic. The top flight managed to finish the season in July without any major infections.

But as the virus has started to spread again in Spain, teams have reported infections in recent weeks. None have appeared to cause serious health problems for players or staff.

Atlético are scheduled to play a friendly at Cádiz on Tuesday. Like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla, the club has its first two rounds of the Spanish league postponed to give the teams more rest after the competed in Europe in August.

Atléti's first Spanish league match on September 27 against Granada.

– TIMES/AP