Foot: Spain loses its captain Busquets, positive for Covid

FC Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, captain of the Spanish selection, left the group after testing positive for Covid-19, the Spanish Federation (RFEF) announced in a statement one week before the Euro.

Busquets "obtained a positive result in the last PCR test carried out this morning" by the players, according to the RFEF, which specifies that "the rest of the members of the group have all tested negative".

Individual training

The player, who "left the squad in a medical vehicle", will have to remain in quarantine for ten days, according to UEFA and Spanish government protocols. "Both workers and contacts close to the player will remain isolated in a preventive manner within the selection", adds the federation. The players will train individually, remaining in a health bubble while awaiting their first match, on June 14 in Seville against Sweden.

La Roja, placed in Group E, faces Poland on June 19 and Slovakia on June 23. Coach Luis Enrique has until June 12, the day before the match, to make changes to his squad.

"The necessary sporting measures will be studied shortly depending on the evolution of the captain of the national team", adds the RFEF.

A canceled friendly match

The management particularly fears that Busquets may have contaminated teammates, assures the daily As. As a precaution, La Roja will not play its second friendly match, scheduled for Tuesday against Lithuania.

The Under-21 team replaces her.

Busquets inherited the captain's armband from La Roja after the non-summons of Sergio Ramos, who hardly played in 2021 due to an injury. Spain are the second selection participating in the Euro to experience a similar mishap, five days after Dutchman Jasper Cillessen tested positive. The coach of Oranje Frank De Boer dismissed the goalkeeper, usual holder, of the group for the Euro.