Al Sadd player tests positive for Covid-19 ahead of Asian Champions League clash with Al Ain

There was no indication from the AFC or clubs that Tuesday's match in Doha was in danger of not going ahead

Al Ain are set to face Qatar's Al Sadd in Doha as the West Asian group phase of the 2020 Asian Champions League resumes. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Asian Football Confederation have confirmed that a player representing Al Ain's next Champions League opponents has tested positive for Covid-19.

Qatar's Al Sadd, who are in Group D of Asia's elite club competition, are scheduled to take on the Garden City club as the West Asian group phase resumes on Tuesday.

The AFC, the continent's governing body, said "all appropriate medical support is being given to the team" and that the player who tested positive is under supervision in a quarantined environment "as required by the safety measures and Covid-19 protocols put in place for the tournament."

There was no indication from the AFC or clubs that Tuesday's match in Doha was in danger of going ahead.

Al Sadd coach Xavi, the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder, had tested positive for Covid-19 in July but was asymptomatic.

Five players and one member of staff from Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal and a player from Qatar's Al Duhail had previously tested positive for Covid-19.

Al Wahda, one of the UAE's three representatives in this year's ACL, were on Monday forced to withdraw from the tournament because they failed to arrive in Doha for the resumption of the group stage after several members of the club tested positive for Covid-19.

Seven months after grinding to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, action in the competition got underway again on Monday with three games.

Shabab Al Ahli Dubai beat Padideh 1-0 while Saudi giants Al Ahli and Al Hilal also picked up victories.

Matches in the four East Asian groups will resume in a hub in Malaysia in October. The final will be in Doha on December 19.

This year's edition of the AFC Cup, Asia's second-tier club competition, was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.