Paris (AFP)
Spain-Sweden, a "Covidico" at the Euro?
Even before its kickoff on Friday, the European tournament is experiencing its first health alert with at least four positive cases for Covid-19 among the Spaniards and Swedes, opponents next Monday, raising fears of the outbreak of epidemic foci.
What face will the "Roja" and the "Blågult" have on Monday evening in Seville, for their entry into the running in Group E of this European Nations Championship, where Robert Lewandowski's Poland and Slovakia are also located?
It is difficult to say so much the Covid-19 pandemic, which has already caused the postponement of the tournament for one year, has turned the preparation of the two selections upside down, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the health "bubbles" supposed to protect the national teams.
Faced with this sword of Damocles, the Spanish Minister of Health Carolina Darias announced Wednesday that all the players of the national team would receive the Pfizer vaccine administered "by the armed forces", without specifying the schedule of this vaccination.
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Reassuring signal: no member of the "Roja" tested positive during the burst of PCR tests carried out on Wednesday, announced the Spanish Federation.
Since the announcement of the positive test of Spanish captain Sergio Busquets on Sunday, then those of his compatriot Diego Llorente and Swedes Dejan Kulusevski and Mattias Svanberg on Tuesday, the two selections have adopted emergency measures, eagerly awaiting the results of regular PCR tests intended to determine the extent of the contagion.
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"Other positive cases can arise and it is likely that this will happen", also warned Tuesday the president of the Spanish Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, just before the officialization of the positive test of Llorente.
For now, the holding of the meeting does not seem threatened: the regulations provide that the match can be held if the coaches, who were able to call up to 26 players for the tournament, have "at least thirteen players ( valid), including a guardian ".
- Group of reservists -
In the meantime, Spain has adopted drastic isolation measures, forcing its players to train alone until the end of the supposed incubation period.
Coach Luis Enrique had to adapt: Spain sent his Hopes team to play their last preparation match on Tuesday night against Lithuania (4-0), and the Asturian coach urgently retained six reservists and eleven members of the Espoirs team in order to deal with any eventuality.
A "parallel" group of 17 reservists, therefore, who train separately and stand ready to compensate for possible forfeits until the start of the tournament.
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According to UEFA regulations, Luis Enrique still has a few days to make changes in his squad.
Until the first match of the tournament, a coach can freely replace a player in the event of "serious injury or illness", medically certified, and cases of Covid-19 or contact cases are one of them.
- The Busquets-Ronaldo accolade -
On the Swedish side, the outbreak of Covid-19 has pushed the federation to adopt new measures: daily rapid tests and an increased number of PCR tests, indoor meetings in smaller groups and in larger spaces, more care. limited and possibly outdoors ...
Swedish coach Janne Andersson has nevertheless announced that he does not intend to change his squad for the tournament: Kulusevski, the promising Juventus winger, has already officially withdrawn at least for the first game against Spain, but his coach has said he hoped for his return for the second meeting, on June 18 against Slovakia.
Already deprived of its star Zlatan Ibrahimovic (knee), Sweden finds itself in any case weakened even before entering the tournament.
And the Covid-19, which has also hit the Netherlands (titular goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen has tested positive and dismissed from the team), is fueling concerns, especially on the side of Poland and Slovakia, the other two teams brought together Spain and Sweden in group E.
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And what about Portugal, defending champion, who had just faced "Roja" on Friday in a preparation match (0-0)?
The image of Busquets giving the hug to Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the game has fueled fears of contagion.
The Portuguese have at least the advantage of having been vaccinated in their majority, with the exception of the players who tested positive for the coronavirus less than six months ago.
And the tests conducted on Monday were all negative.
"What I know is that those who are vaccinated like me, who already took the two doses some time ago, are at less risk," said manager Fernando Santos.
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© 2021 AFP