Lionel Messi tests positive for COVID-19

Lionel Messi and three other Paris Saint-Germain players have tested positive for coronavirus, the club have confirmed.

Juan Bernat, Sergio Rico and Nathan Bitumazala have also contracted the virus and are in quarantine.

Messi has featured in PSG’s last six Ligue 1 matches as well as their defeat to Manchester City and win over Club Brugge in Champions League Group A.

The 34-year-old, along with Bernat, Rico and Bitumazala, will miss the French Cup clash with Vannes on Monday but pending a negative test, may be available for their clash with Lyon next Sunday.

From Monday, fully vaccinated people in France who test positive will only have to isolate for seven days regardless of the coronavirus variant they were infected with, but can leave quarantine after five days if they show an antigen or negative PCR test.

France reported 219,126 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period on Saturday, the fourth day in a row that the country has recorded more than 200,000 cases.

Messi joined PSG from Barcelona in August and has scored six goals in 16 games in all competitions for the Parisian side.

The Ligue 1 club also issued an update on Neymar, who is currently in Brazil and will continue his treatment on an ankle injury which has seen him miss eight games for PSG.

His return to training is still expected to be in “about 3 weeks”.

PSG are top of the Ligue 1 standings on 46 points after 19 matches, 13 points above second-placed Nice.