Brazil national team player Gabriel Menino tests positive for COVID-19

Another day, another positive COVID-19 case at a national team, which could have implications for Chelsea and Premier League football. Whose idea was it again to commingle players from various bubbles just for the trifle of international football?

As confirmed by Brazil national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, Palmeiras midfielder Gabriel Menino has tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The 20-year-old who was in line to make his national team debut is asymptomatic, but has been training alongside the rest of his teammates all week, who have included Thiago Silva of course, but also eight other Premier League players.

Just like the case of Domagoj Vida in the Croatia team, Gabriel Menino tested negative on Monday but a second test carried out on Wednesday came back positive. He’s been cut from the team of course, but we won’t really know if he’s transmitted the virus to anyone else until the next round of testing, which is set to be carried out over the weekend.

“In the tests carried out yesterday, Gabriel Menino tested positive for Covid-19. All other players in the group tested negative. It is important to note that, on Monday, when the players arrived, all members of the delegation were tested and the results were negative.

“We have already informed the medical department of Palmeiras, the player is asymptomatic, is already isolated and is being cut from the selection at this moment. All protective measures are being taken. We will carry out a new battery of tests before our trip to Uruguay, and after the game.

-Rodrigo Lasmar; source: Globo

At the moment, no one else has gone into self-isolation on the team.

Fingers crossed.