Atletico Madrid Stars Diego Costa, Santiago Arias Test Positive for COVID-19 Ahead of La Liga Club’s Return to Pre-Season Training

Atletico Madrid stars Diego Costa and Santiago Arias have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of returning back into training, the La Liga club confirmed. Atletico Madrid started their pre-season camp on Thursday (September 3) but before the training resumption, the entire squad underwent mandatory COVID-19 test. Costa and Arias were missing from the first-team squad, who underwent tests at the club’s facility in Majadahonda. Atletico later confirmed both Costa and Arias had tested positive for the virus while on holidays and are currently on quarantine. La Liga 2020–21 Schedule Revealed: Barcelona, Real Madrid Begin Season With Away Games; First El Clasico in October.

"Today every member of the first team passed the preliminary tests that the protocol demands for the start of the 2020-21 season in the Ciudad Deportiva Wanda in Majadahonda," Atletico said in a statement released on the club's official website. "The first-team squad was present, except for those internationals currently with their respective national teams and who will be joining the group practices when those commitments come to a close. FC Goa Sign Former Atletico Madrid Midfielder Alberto Noguera Ahead of ISL 2020-21 Season.

"The players Diego Costa and Santiago Arias, who returned their own positive PCR tests during their holidays away from Madrid, were also absent. Both cases are asymptomatic, they are in quarantine and complying with the protocols of the appropriate health authorities and La Liga,” the statement added.

"For that reason, both players will not join the start of pre-season, scheduled to begin tomorrow, September 4 in the Ciudad Deportiva Wanda in Majadahonda, until they have completed the quarantine period." Also missing from the squad were players on international duty. Several Atletico players are participating in the UEFA Nations League with their national teams and will join the side next week.

Meanwhile, Arias and Costa have both been linked with a transfer away from Atletico Madrid this season. Arias has been linked with a move to Everton while Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho is keen on bringing Costa to London to provide competition for Harry Kane.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2020 12:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).