Real Madrid confirmed on Friday that their head coach Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for Covid-19.
The Spanish champions broke the news on Friday morning after releasing a statement.
The news comes two days after the club revealed Nacho Fernandez had contracted the virus
Zidane was allowed to take to the Madrid bench against Osasuna at the beginning of the month despite being in close contact with someone who had tested positive.
He delivered a negative test and so was granted permission to travel to the game, despite having sat out training sessions at his club’s training ground.
The 48-year-old saw his side dumped out by 10-man Alcoyano 2-1 after extra-time, defeat at the hands of the semi-professional third-tier outfit ramping up the pressure on the Frenchman.
Real Madrid have struggled for consistency during the Covid-impacted 2020-21 season, and have found themselves trailing neighbours Atletico by seven points at the top of LaLiga.
Their recent run of results have seen them held in the league by Elche and Osasuna, while they were also knocked out of the Spanish Supercopa semi-finals by eventual winners Athletic Bilbao.
Zidane admitted after defeat to Alcoyano that he is not in control of his future at present.
Real were humiliated by the third-tier semi-professional side in the last-32 of the Copa del Rey
‘There is always talk whenever we lose,’ said Zidane after the defeat. ‘I assume responsibility and what has to happen will happen. I am very calm.
‘The players want to win and they give everything to make that happen but sometimes it goes differently.’
It is not the first coronavirus outbreak at the club, with Eden Hazard and Casemiro both testing positive for it back in November. Defender Eder Militao had contracted the virus a week earlier.
MailOnline
