Édouard Mendy among Senegal players testing positive for COVID-19 — report

Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy’s currently at the Africa Cup of Nations, but he might not get to play, at least not yet, after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19 today (Saturday). The tournament starts tomorrow, with Senegal’s first game scheduled for Monday. Mendy could conceivably be back for their final group game, on the 18th, and any knockout round matches that may follow.

Alongside Mendy, key defender Kalidou Koulibaly and former Bristol City striker Famara Diédhiou have apparently also tested positive, and join nine others in the national team setup (three players, six staff) who had done so earlier as well.

Concern over COVID was one of the big issues coming into the tournament — alongside, you know, the whole civil war thing in Cameroon — but hopefully Mendy and the others will not have to deal with any issues short- or long-term other than a few days of isolation.

In related news, Thiago Silva’s wife, Belle Silva, has kept everyone updated on social media of Thiago’s condition, with the Chelsea defender apparently doing well and even producing a negative test today. Hopefully that situation doesn’t change and he can be out of (7-day) isolation and back in the team for next weekend’s showdown at Manchester City.