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Real Madrid star tests positive for COVID-19

Raphael Varane, Real Madrid
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Ahead of the Champions League match with Liverpool, Real Madrid have confirmed that Varane is out of the squad.

Real Madrid have announced that Raphael Varane returned a positive result for a COVID-19 test on Tuesday morning.

The Frenchman will now miss both legs against Liverpool for Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final tie and Saturday’s Clasico against arch-rivals Barcelona in La Liga.

Fears over Varane’s availability arose on Monday following the Frenchman’s absence from training. In compliance with the health regulations in Spain, he self-isolated and waited for the results of Tuesday’s test.

But Los Blancos have now confirmed Varane’s positive prognosis in a press release.

“Real Madrid C.F. informs that our player Raphael Varane tested positive in the COVID-19 test he underwent this morning,” read the club statement.

Varane now joins Sergio Ramos on the sidelines, leaving Zinedine Zidane with a serious problem. The manager has lost his two first-choice center-backs and may resort to using Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao instead.

Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal are also out of the Real Madrid squad for Tuesday’s first leg against Liverpool in Spain.

Varane is also the sixth player to have tested positive for the Spanish club after Hazard, Militao, Casemiro, Luka Jovic, and Nacho.

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