Lionel Messi has returned to France after testing negative for COVID-19 and will resume training with Paris Saint-Germain in the coming days, the Ligue 1 club said on Thursday (AEDT).
Messi was among four PSG players who returned positive results on Sunday. The 34-year-old had been in Argentina at the time of his result.
Lionel Messi missed PSG’s previous game after testing positive for COVID.Credit:AP
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner missed their 4-0 win away to third-tier club Vannes on Monday in a French Cup round-of-32 match.
The Argentina international joined PSG from boyhood club Barcelona in August and has scored six goals in 16 games for the Parisian side. They are due to play Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a coronavirus outbreak among Liverpool’s players and staff led to their English League Cup semi-final against Arsenal being postponed, adding to the backlog in English football caused by the Omicron variant.
The English Football League, which runs the cup competition, approved a request from Liverpool for the game to be called off after a slew of positive tests at the club led to the closure of its training ground.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is self-isolating.Credit:Getty Images
Player availability had already been affected by injuries and absences for the African Cup of Nations, which is depriving Liverpool of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita.
The first leg, which was scheduled to take place at Arsenal on Thursday, will now be held at Anfield on January 13. The second leg will take place at Emirates Stadium on January 20.