Diego Costa Contracts Covid-19 While On Summer Break Outside Of Spain

- The 31-year-old has been asked to self-isolate to avoid spreading the virus

- Colombia's Santiago Arias has also been told to stay home for two weeks due to the same reason

- Atletico Madrid are scheduled to resume pre-season preparations this weekend

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Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa has joined the list of football stars to test positive for the deadly coronavirus.

The 31-year-old was said to have been tested for the infection while on summer holiday will be in isolation for the next two weeks.

Costa spent his summer holiday and that was probably where he contracted the virus. His colleague Santiago Arias also tested positive for COVID-19 and they might not be fit for Atletico's curtain raiser against Granada on September 27.

Los Colchoneros said in a statement: "Today [Thursday, September 3] all the members of the first team passed the preliminary tests required by the protocol at the beginning of the new 2020/21 season at the Wanda de Majadahonda Sports City.

"Neither did the players Diego Costa and Santiago Arias, who underwent a PCR test on their own with a positive result during their vacation period outside Madrid. Both cases are asymptomatic, in quarantine and complying with the protocols of the corresponding health authorities and La Liga.

"For this reason, both players will not be incorporated at the start of the preseason, scheduled for September 4 at the Wanda de Majadahonda Sports City, until they complete the relevant quarantine."

Due to their self-isolation status, both players will not be joining the club's preseason preparations this weekend.

Recently, Paris Saint-Germain stars Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes were said to have been infected with the virus.

Man United midfielder4xx c Paul Pogba and Tanguy Ndombele were exluded from the French team ahead of their Nations League clash against Sweden.

SunSport reveals that no fewer than 12 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the Premier League lately - 12 of them from pre-season camps.

Meanwhile, not less than eight Chelsea stars have been asked to stay home owing to their COVID-19 status.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Neymar alongside Paris Saint-Germain stars Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes have all tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus, it was confirmed on Wednesday, September 2.

It was gathered that the Brazilian star and Paredes have been grooving on island Ibiza as the news have now thrown the club into chaos ahead of their first league game in eight days time.

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