Photoby John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The player is Liverpool’s third to return a positive test in a
little more than a week.
A little more than a week ago now, Thiago Alcantara was forced into self-isolation
following a positive test for COVID-19. Last last week, he was
joined by Sadio Mané. Today, it has been confirmed that a third
Liverpool player has tested positive.
On Monday, Xherdan Shaqiri flew off to join the Swiss
national team ahead of matches against Croatia, Spain, and Germany
over the next two weeks, but today the federation has confirmed the
28-year-old tested positive for the virus on arrival.
“Xherdan Shaqiri has tested positive,” read a statement from the
federation released today. “In consultation with the health
authorities, he is in isolation. Clarifications are currently under
way with local health authorities about how to proceed.”
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Overall, Shaqiri becomes the fourth Liverpool player to test
positive already this season, with Kostas Tsimikas diagnosed
mid-way through the last international break while with the Greek
national team, and the timeline seems concerning.
With Thiago, Mané, and now Shaqiri receiving positive diagnoses
over just a little more than a week, there is at least the
appearance the virus may be moving between players in Liverpool’s
squad right as they head off on international duty.
In Austria, when faced with three positive tests over a short
period this past week, Red Bull Salzburg ordered all players at the club into
self-isolation and refused to release any to play for their
national teams in an effort to stop the spread.