Real Madrid have confirmed that Raphael Varane has tested positive for coronavirus and will subsequently miss their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool on Tuesday night.
Los Blancos are already without captain Sergio Ramos after the centre-back picked up a muscle injury during a cameo appearance form the bench in Spain's 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Kosovo.
? Raphael Varane has contracted Covid-19 and will miss their game tonight against Liverpool. https://t.co/5xlLztccNL
— 90min (@90min_Football) April 6, 2021
And their defensive woes have now been added to following the news Varane will also miss the home tie at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano having contracted coronavirus.
The club released a brief statement via their official website on Tuesday morning confirming the news, though they stopped short of providing any further details relating to the period of quarantine he would be undertaking.
"Real Madrid CF informs that our player Raphaël Varane has given a positive result in the COVID-19 test that has been carried out this morning," the statement read.
The Frenchman was an unused substitute in Real's 2-0 La Liga win over Eibar on Saturday afternoon, with Zinedine ZIdane clearly eager to ensure the centre-back would be fit for the visit of the Premier League champions.
The news will come as a huge blow to Zidane, with Eder Militao and Nacho expected to fill in at the heart of the defence with Real's usual first-choice centre-back pairing unavailable.
It remains to be seen how long Varane will be forced to self-isolate for, however, it seems increasingly likely that the Spanish champions will be without the Frenchman for this weekend's crucial La Liga clash with rivals Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real currently sit third in La Liga - two points behind Ronald Koeman's side and a further point behind city rivals Atletico Madrid - and this weekend's clash could prove to be a pivotal one as Zidane's men go in search of their second consecutive Spanish crown,
Source : 90min