Man City’s Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte test positive for coronavirus

Manchester City pair Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte test POSITIVE for coronavirus… just five days before the Premier League restarts as duo become latest players to contract COVID-19

  • Both Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte will undergo a period of self-isolation
  • Neither Manchester City player is showing any symptoms of the virus 
  • The new Premier League season restarts this weekend on September 12 
  • Yet Pep Guardiola’s side does not play until September 21, against Wolves  

Manchester City have confirmed that Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte have tested positive for coronavirus. 

Both players will now undergo a period of self-isolation and the club confirmed that neither player is showing any symptoms of the virus. 

Though the Premier League returns this Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side travel to Molineux to face Wolves in their season-opener on September 21, with the pair’s involvement in that clash now in some doubt.

Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte have tested positive for coronavirus

The two positive tests will be a concern for manager Pep Guardiola ahead of the new season

The two positive tests will be a concern for manager Pep Guardiola ahead of the new season

The positive tests will be of concern to the Premier League generally though, with the new season starting in five days.

City said in a statement: ‘Manchester City FC can confirm that Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte have tested positive for Covid-19.

‘Both players are currently observing a period of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and UK Government protocol on quarantine. Neither is displaying symptoms of the virus.

The pair will observe a period of self-isolation, with City's first game back in two weeks time

The pair will observe a period of self-isolation, with City’s first game back in two weeks time

‘Everyone at the Club wishes Riyad and Aymeric a speedy recovery ahead of their return to training and the new season.’

Mahrez, 29, and Laporte, 26, are not the first professional footballers to test positive for the virus in recent weeks. 

PSG star Neymar last week contracted COVID-19 after a holiday in Ibiza, as did team-mates Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes.

Neymar (bottom-right) tested positive for coronavirus after a recent holiday in Ibiza

Neymar (bottom-right) tested positive for coronavirus after a recent holiday in Ibiza

Angel Di Maria (centre-right) and Leandro Paredes (second-left) were also in Ibiza on holiday

Angel Di Maria (centre-right) and Leandro Paredes (second-left) were also in Ibiza on holiday

Manchester United star Paul Pogba tested positive for coronavirus alongside Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele while meeting up for international duty with France. 

Chelsea were also rocked by a host of their stars contracting the virus two weeks ago, with six players testing positive. 

Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic and Fikayo Tomori were placed into isolation after a break to Mykynos in Greece.

Man United's Paul Pogba is another high-profile player to test positive for coronavirus

Man United’s Paul Pogba is another high-profile player to test positive for coronavirus

Chelsea players Christian Pulisic (left), Tammy Abraham (centre) and Fikayo Tomori (right) were placed into isolation after a break to Mykynos in Greece

Chelsea players Christian Pulisic (left), Tammy Abraham (centre) and Fikayo Tomori (right) were placed into isolation after a break to Mykynos in Greece

Jorginho, Ross Barkley, Emerson and Michy Batshuayi have also stayed away from Chelsea’s Cobham training base, although it is not known which six players tested positive.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Wolves winger Adama Traore tested positive ahead of joining up with his Spanish international team-mates last Tuesday. 

A total of 14 positive tests were recorded from the 12 Premier League clubs who returned to training ahead of the new season three weeks ago.