Atletico Madrid confirm Angel Correa and Sime Vrsaljko tested positive for coronavirus and will not play vs RB Leipzig

ATLETICO MADRID have named Angel Correa and Sime Vrsaljko as the two players who tested positive for coronavirus.

And the pair will miss the LaLiga side’s Champions League quarter-final with RB Leipzig on Thursday as a result.

Diego Simeone’s side are set to take on the Germans in Lisbon as they look to reach the semi-finals.

But their preparations have been thrown into disarray as Croatian Vrsaljko, 28, and Argentine Correa, 25, tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday.

An Atletico statement read: “The first team and members of the coaching staff underwent new tests yesterday.

“The result of which has been negative in all of them, after the appearance of two positive cases in the tests carried out on Saturday.

“Following the health protocol, tests were also performed on relatives living with the two positive cases, all of which were also negative.

“The club’s medical services have received authorisation in both cases to reveal their identity and end the speculation.

“The first team will return to training this afternoon with the absence of Ángel Correa, who remains isolated at his home without presenting symptoms.

“And Sime Vrsaljko, who was recovering from an injury outside the group, is also asymptomatic and will remain at home.

“However, his case is considered as resolved by the health authorities as he has generated antibodies several months ago.”

The Spanish side have been cleared to fly to Portugal tomorrow having had to delay their original flight which was scheduled for tonight.

Their planned training session this morning was postponed as they awaited the results.

But after Simeone and the rest of his squad were given the green light, they were able to train this afternoon and will jet off tomorrow morning.

The news was a huge relief for Uefa who faced the embarrassing prospect of potentially awarding the tie to the German side if Atletico were unable to fulfil the fixture. 

Uefa announced that President Aleksander Ceferin and his general secretary Theodore Theodoridis will take regular Covid-19 tests to ensure they can hand over the Europa League, Champions League and Women’s Champions League trophies and medals.

Atletico‘s last Champions League game was the 3-2 win over Liverpool at Anfield on March 11.

That fixture came just 12 days before lockdown was introduced in the UK.

One scientist said that fixture – along with Cheltenham Festival – led to an increase in coronavirus deaths in the UK.

Professor Tim Spector, from King’s College London, said the two events held in March had “caused increased suffering and death that wouldn’t otherwise have occurred”.

Some 52,000 people crammed into Anfield that night, including 3,000 Atleti fans who had travelled from Madrid.

By that time in Spain, attendances at sporting events had already been suspended.