Coronavirus Update: La Liga Side Says 35% Of Squad, Staff Tested Positive

La Liga soccer club Valencia has announced that around 35% of their players and staff have tested positive for the pandemic coronavirus.

The Spanish club Sunday revealed that five members involved with the first-team squad had contracted the virus, including defenders Ezequiel Garay and Eliaquim Mangala.

“Several further tests for the COVID-19 coronavirus amongst Valencia CF coaching staff and players have come back positive. All cases are asymptomatic and those involved are currently isolated at home, receiving medical assessment and carrying out their scheduled training plan,” Valencia CF said in an official statement.

The statement also implied that Valencia’s Champions League first-leg tie against Atlanta, which was held in Milan’s San Siro, the major reason behind the number of positive tests.

“Despite the strict measures adopted by the club after their UEFA Champions League game against Atalanta on February 19th in Milan -an area confirmed as 'high risk' by the Italian authorities days afterward, which included maintaining a distance between the squad and club employees/the general public, these latest results show that the exposure inherent to such matches has caused a positive test rate of around 35%,” Valencia added in the statement.

Argentina defender Garay on Sunday became the first La Liga player to come out saying he had tested positive and he was followed by teammate and former Manchester City center-back Eliaquim with the same result.

“It’s clear that I have got off to the wrong start in 2020. I’ve tested positive for the coronavirus, I feel very good and now I just have to listen to the health authorities and for now, remain isolated,” Garay said on Instagram.

The deadly virus has worn out the international sporting calendar, with the top five soccer leagues in Europe – England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France—as well as the Champions League and Europa League all suspended.

The coronavirus has reportedly infected almost 180,000 people and killed over 7,000 worldwide including over 2,000 alone in Italy.