Juventus and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo tested positive again for COVID-19.
The player recently contracted the virus while he was on international duty with the Portugal national team and he then traveled back to his house in Italy to stay in quarantine. Ronaldo has since missed Juventus’ game against Serie A side Crotone and the UEFA Champions League fixture against Dynamo Kyiv.
Ronaldo will likely miss more Juventus matches both in the Serie A and UEFA Champions League including Juventus’ fixtures against Verona and FC Barcelona.
The Champions League game Juventus vs. FC Barcelona is one that is so exciting because it is a match between two strong teams and Champions League favorites. The fixture is also labeled as a Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo game, because of the players’ long term rivalry in world football.
Messi and Ronaldo have been rivals for more than ten years and their rivalry ignited when Ronaldo was a Real Madrid player.
If Ronaldo doesn’t play, Juventus will definitely miss him because he is a very important player for the team. Juventus have other forward options including Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala, Federico Chiesa and Federico Bernardeschi, but still, it would be difficult for head coach Andrea Pirlo to replace Ronaldo. Reports claim that Juventus will ask for permission to submit a test for Ronaldo 48 hours before the FC Barcelona fixture, so there’s a slight chance that the player would be able to play.
The UEFA guidelines require that a player who has recovered from the virus should submit a document. The document “must be provided at least one week before the team’s next UEFA Match.”
If Ronaldo misses the FC Barcelona fixture at the Juventus Stadium on October 28, he could possibly play the second leg on December 8th at the Camp Nou.
