PSG would have gone well with this affair.
Since Monday, the capital club has deplored two suspicions of coronavirus cases concerning Argentines Leandro Paredes and Angel Di Maria.
“Nothing serious”, we say internally.
Potentially annoying anyway, less than ten days before the start of the 2020-2021 season, on the lawn of RC Lens in Ligue 1.
Because if the first two suspected cases require confirmation, a great fear exists: that of having more positive cases still on the day of resumption of training, Thursday.
And, possibly, having to request a postponement of an already shifted meeting to favor the rest of the unfortunate finalists of the Champions League.
Who is concerned ?
Leandro Paredes and Angel Di Maria, as revealed by L'Equipe on Monday, are the two players suspected of having contracted the coronavirus.
Their state of health is not of concern.
Are they carriers and asymptomatic?
Are they showing symptoms?
The PSG does not say more and sticks to the press release written Monday afternoon.
The Argentines have indeed tested positive for the first time after a PCR test (nasopharyngeal).
But a second test should confirm the first results and determine the real health of the players.
The conclusions are expected this Wednesday by the club, which does not intend to communicate before.
If the second test is still positive, they will have to observe a period of fourteen at their home and will therefore miss at least seven days of training, as well as the matches against Lens on Thursday and against OM on September 13, in Ligue 1. If this is negative, a shorter isolation period will be observed, the time to provide a final negative test before resuming the path of training.
What measures does PSG intend to take?
Immediately, the medical staff and the sports management asked the two players concerned to go into isolation, pending a second test.
Di Maria and Paredes therefore returned to Paris on Monday.
Mauro Icardi who, according to L'Equipe, was potentially a third suspected case, continues his vacation in the Balearic Islands, with his family and accompanied by Keylor Navas.
Neymar, also seen in Ibiza, for his part found his home in Bougival (Yvelines) on Monday evening.
According to our information, no case is considered suspicious.
But the club is worried about the proximity known by its players in the Balearics.
Ander Herrera notably attended Di Maria and Paredes for several days.
All the "contact cases" were asked to be tested to check if a "cluster" has not taken shape.
Results are expected Wednesday.
In any case, this Thursday, the entire Parisian workforce available (excluding international players therefore) is called in the morning to the Camp des Loges for a series of PCR and serological tests (blood test).
Each received a precise schedule in order to limit contacts.
After the completion of these tests, a new assessment will be given by the club.
Does a threat weigh on the Lens-PSG match?
Currently not.
The capital club, depending on the results of the tests carried out on Thursday, will determine the procedure to be followed.
RC Lens, in agreement with PSG to postpone the date of the meeting, does not wish to comment on the news of the Parisian Covid-19 cases, nor on the possibility of a new postponement.
For its part, the Professional Football League (LFP) is studying this Wednesday morning the implementation of new health measures and new rules for the holding of matches.
At this stage, the LFP accepts the postponement of a match if a team has at least four positive cases over a period of 8 days.
A rule that should be hardened (or relaxed depending on the point of view) this Wednesday.
This Tuesday, the body had not received an official communication from the PSG reporting the presence of positive cases.
