Spain and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos tests positive for Covid-19

More bad luck for veteran defender who had been out of action with a calf injury

Spain and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, who had been out of action since April 1 due to injury, has now tested positive for coronavirus. Reuters

Spain and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has tested positive for Covid-19.

Ramos has been nursing a calf injury since April 1 which led him to miss his side's 3-1 defeat of Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg and Saturday's 2-1 victory over rivals Barcelona in La Liga.

The central defender, 35, who underwent knee surgery in February, had already been ruled out of the second leg away to Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday and is not expected to play again until the end of the month.

His Covid-19 infection is unlikely to halt his return to action, although it does mean he will be kept away from Real's training ground until he produces a negative test.

Ramos is the second case of coronavirus detected in the Real Madrid squad in a week. French defender Raphael Varane tested positive last Tuesday.

Varane has not yet been given the green light to rejoin his teammates.

Ramos has played 670 games while scoring 101 goals for Real since joining from Sevilla in 2005 but has an uncertain future with the Spanish champions as his contract expires at the end of June.

The veteran is going through one of the most difficult seasons of his career – he underwent knee surgery in February and, after returning in mid-March, missed the Liga game against Celta Vigo on March 20 because of a shin injury.

Real have suffered more injuries than any other side in La Liga this season but their troubles have not affected their form lately.

Zinedine Zidane's side have won their last six matches in all competitions and Saturday's win over Barca took them one point behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

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