Milan: Talismanic Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo has been forced to go into quarantine in his Madeira home after teammate Daniele Rugani tested positive for coronavirus.
The Portuguese star flew to his homeland to visit his mother, who recently suffered a stroke. Then the news about Rugani testing positive for the dreaded COVID-19 became public. Hence the club management requested Ronaldo to stay put where he is rather than fly back to northern Italy where the outbreak is at its most rampant.
Ronaldo and Rugani shared a dressing room Sunday when Juventus beat Inter Milan 2-0 behind closed doors. A picture posted on Instagram by Miralem Pjanic after the game shows Ronaldo and Rugani celebrating the victory in a close huddle with their teammates. Everyone who came into contact with Rugani on both sides has been asked to remain in isolation.
It is hoped that the spread is limited as Rugani remained an unused substitute for Maurizio Sarri on the Juventus bench. But even then he has come into contact with others players and support staff who were on the bench too.
The Portuguese press plastered the story over their front pages with Quotidiano Sportivo and Abola both running headlines about Ronaldo being in quarantine. Ronaldo however, doesn’t seem to mind the isolation. He has been quoted as saying that he would get some much needed rest.
Rugani becomes the first star from the Italian top flight to have contracted the virus. Juventus said that Rugani, who was an ‘unused substitute’is ‘currently asymptomatic’ with coronavirus.
Rugani meanwhile took to social media following the news to reassure his followers that he was ‘fine’. “You will have read the news and that’s why I want to reassure all those who are worrying about me, I’m fine,” Rugani tweeted.
Agencies
