Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has opened up for the first time about his coronavirus diagnosis as he recovers from the illness. Arteta had become the first high-profile sports personality in England to be infected by the virus when he tested positive for COVID-19 on March 13. His diagnosis hastened the Premier League’s decision to suspend the season for at least two weeks before further extending it till April end following an emergency meeting last week. Arteta has since recovered the illness and recently shed light on what transpired when he first found out about him being affected by the virus, which has already claimed over 14,000 lives across the globe. UEFA Postpones Champions League, Europa League Finals Amid Shutdown Due to Coronavirus.

“Everything happened very fast,” said Arteta speaking to Spanish television channel La Sexta. Things escalated very quickly at the club when news broke out that Evangelos Marinakis, President of Olympiakos football club, the same team Arsenal hosted in the second-leg of the 2019-20 Europa League round of 32 clash, had tested positive.

Recalling the situation then, Arteta continued that he wasn’t feeling well since Tuesday and had gone to visit the doctor by wasn’t available. “On Tuesday afternoon I was feeling so-so and I went to see the doctor but he wasn’t there. I got a call from the board of directors after training while I was in my car and they told me the president of Olympiakos had tested positive and everyone who had been in contact was at risk.

“I went on to tell them that I wasn’t feeling well and that we had a situation because we had lots of players that had been in contact with them. We had a game against Manchester City the next day and obviously we couldn’t put lots of people at risk without saying anything.” Arsenal’s Premier League clash against City was eventually postponed and Arteta, who served as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Man City, tested positive later that same day.

“I had the test done last Wednesday and I was diagnosed on Friday, when we had to communicate it to the Premier League that I had tested positive,” he said. “Obviously all those who had been in contact with me had to go into quarantine, and consequently games had to be suspended.” The 37-year-old, however, feels he has recovered now and that things started feeling better three-four days after getting struck down by the virus.

“Very well now, I feel that I have recovered,” the Arsenal gaffer was quoted as saying. But he club have decided to put training on hold for an indefinite period with the situation still escalating both in England and around the world. It will be “irresponsible” to return to action as originally planned, the club said in a statement. “We are clear it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to ask the players to come back at this time. Therefore our men’s first team, women and academy players are all remaining at home. Stay at home and save lives.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 24, 2020 10:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).