STOCKHOLM, June 9 ― Sweden midfielders Dejan Kulusevski and Mattias Svanberg have tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss their opening game of Euro 2020 against Spain, the Swedish FA said yesterday.
Sweden left Kulusevski, who plays his club football for Juventus, in Stockholm when they travelled to Gothenburg for the final part of their build-up to the tournament.
“This morning, Dejan Kulusevski informed the medical team that he had cold symptoms. Dejan was tested immediately and that test was positive,” team doctor Anders Valentin told the Swedish FA website.
“Dejan has since been kept in isolation from the rest of the group and did not travel with us to Gothenburg.”
Later yesterday, the FA said Mattias Svanberg had also tested positive and that he had been isolated from the rest of the squad while the test results were being analysed a second time and new tests were carried out.
Sweden head coach Janne Andersson said no reserve would be called up and hoped Kulusevski would be able to rejoin the squad after their Group E opener against Spain in Seville on Monday.
“It's extremely unfortunate that it (the virus) got in (to our camp). It's sad for Dejan and sad generally,” Andersson told a news conference.
“It's impossible to get away from ― it creates some concern, at the same time we are handling it as we should, and I have confidence in our doctors.”
Spain captain Sergio Busquets has also tested positive for Covid-19 and their players will get a Covid-19 vaccine shot today, Sports Minister Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes said yesterday. ― Reuters
