Concerns growing as coronavirus spreads among Italian players

Paris, April 5, 2021 (AFP) - Defender Alessandro Florenzi is one of five Italy players confirmed to have tested positive for Covid-19 since the recent international break when his club, Paris Saint-Germain, tweeted on Monday that he will miss their Champions League game at Bayern Munich.

Following the "latest PCR Sars-Cov2 test, Alessandro Florenzi is confirmed positive," the club wrote on its Twitter account.

Florenzi joins PSG teammate Marco Verratti, who is also out of the quarter-final first leg against Bayern on Wednesday, Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, Freiburg's midfielder Vincenzo Grifo and Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno in testing positive.

Grifo has "a low concentration of the virus", his club said.

Sports daily Tuttosport reported that Torino goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu had also tested positive, which would take to six the number of players affected.

Several members of Italy's coaching staff also tested positive last Wednesday.

Serie A club Sassuolo omitted its three Italian internationals, Domenico Berardi, Francesco Caputo and Manuel Locatelli from the squad that drew with Roma on Saturday as a precaution.

PSG said Florenzi "will therefore respect the isolation and is subject to the appropriate health protocol", adding that "the player has been in isolation for several days as a precaution".

The full-back, on loan from Roma, was not on the team sheet for Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Lille in Ligue 1.