Argentine footballer Paulo Dybala has tested positive for coronavirus for the fourth time in six weeks, according to a report.
The Juventus forward had announced on March 21 that he and his girlfriend Oriana Sabatini had contracted Covid-19. According to Spanish programme El Chiringuito, Dybala has had four tests since and his most recent test has come back positive as well.
Neither the defending Serie A champions or the player have responded to the claims, but if confirmed it will rule Dybala out of returning to training with his teammates from May 4 to May 18 as Italy looks to resume its 2019-20 season following the coronavirus-enforced shutdown on March 9.
Dybala has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, including in league leaders Juventus' last game against Inter Milan on March 8.
Dybala is not the first Serie A player to test positive more than once of Covid-19. Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello tested positive, then negative, then positive again.
The forward, 26, had previously talked about his painful experience after he and his girlfriend contracted the coronavirus and how he "struggled to breathe".
"Luckily [we are] much better, these days we do not have any symptoms," Dybala had told Juventus' YouTube channel last month.
"I had stronger symptoms, I got tired very quickly, when I wanted to train, I was short of breath after five minutes.
"There we noticed that something was not right and through the tests the club did we were told that we were positive.
"From there we had more symptoms, such as cough, tired body and when we slept I felt very cold, but from the club they had told us that we were going to be fine so we had to be calm."
Dybala is one of the three Juventus players to have contracted coronavirus, along with Blaise Matuidi and Daniele Rugani.
French midfielder Matuidi and Italian defender Rugani - the first player in Serie A to test positive for the virus - tested negative for Covid-19 earlier this month, the club said, and were "no longer subject to the home isolation regime".
Meanwhile, Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora warned on Wednesday that Italy may have to follow France and the Netherlands and call an end to their football and sports seasons because of the pandemic.
"I see an increasingly narrow path for the resumption of the championship. If I were a president of a football club, I would especially think of organising myself to safely resume the next championship which will start at the end of August," Spadafora told Italian television channel La 7.
"The decisions being taken by other countries, like France yesterday, could push Italy to follow this line too, which would then become a European line.
"I think the next meeting of the Lega Serie A may hold a surprise," said Spadafora, with Italy's top flight clubs holding an emergency general assembly on Friday.
"The majority of clubs could ask us to suspend this season and prepare for the next championship as best possible."
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Players who tested positive
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Former Manchester United player Marouane Fellaini tested positive in China where he plays for Shandong Luneng. He has now been discharged. Reuters -
Juventus' Paulo Dybala said both he and his girlfriend Oriana tested positive though both were in "perfect conditions". AP Photo -
Milan's sports director and club legend Paolo Maldini and his son Daniel, who plays for the same club, tested positive for Covid-19. A statement from the club said both are well. EPA -
Wu Lei of Espanyol. "Wu Lei has mild symptoms and is currently undergoing treatment," the CFA said in a statement, adding that they had been given the news by La Liga strugglers Espanyol. The 28-year-old striker, China's best-known player, is in self-isolation at home in Barcelona, Xinhua news agency said. Getty Images -
Kevin Durant is reportedly among four Brooklyn Nets players who have tested positive for the coronavirus and are in isolation. The injured Durant, who has yet to play for the Nets since signing for the team last year, confirmed to The Athletic website he had tested positive for the virus. "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this," Durant was quoted as saying. AFP -
Juventus confirmed on Tuesday night that French midfielder Blaise Matuidi had become the second player from the club to test positive for the coronavirus. Italian defender Daniele Rugani was the first player to play in Serie A to test positive last week. EPA -
Valencia's Eliaquim Mangala, left, was one of five players and staff at the club to test positive. "I'm feeling good and I have no symptoms associated with the virus. However, I am confined in house and separated from my family," he said on Twitter. AP Photo -
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive on March 14 but said he was "feeling better already" the following day. Staff who had been in contact with him were self-isolating. AFP -
Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert, who apologized for his careless actions before he was diagnosed with novel coronavirus, has pledged to donate more than half a million dollars to health services and arena workers affected by the pandemic. AFP -
Valencia's Ezequiel Garay was the first La Liga player to test positive on March 15. "I tested positive for coronavirus, I feel very well and now all that's left is to do what the health authorities say, which is to isolate myself," he said on Instagram. All football is suspended in Spain. EPA -
Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi was the first Premier League player to test positive. He said on Twitter on March 13: "As you may be aware I had the virus for the last couple of days which I have recovered from. I am following the health guidelines and self-isolating myself from everybody for the week. I hope to see everybody soon and hopefully will be back on the pitch very soon. Reuters -
Juventus' Italian defender Daniele Rugani was confirmed to have the virus on March 12. "You've read the news, so I want to reassure everyone who's worried about me, I'm fine," Rugani said on Twitter. The entire Juventus squad is to spend two weeks in quarantine. AFP -
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was the second NBA player to contract the virus. The NBA season has been suspended. AP Photo -
Manolo Gabbiadini of Sampdoria is one of five players to have tested positive at the club. "I still want to tell you that I'm fine, so don't worry. Follow all the rules, stay at home and everything will work out," said Gabbiadini on Twitter. PA Wire. -
Sampdoria's Omar Colley, right, was confirmed to have coronavirus. Lapresse via AP -
Albin Ekdal of Sampdoria tested positive. Italy is one of the worst affected countries. Getty Images -
Fabio Depaoli, left of Sampdoria, said on Instagram that he was "fine" after testing positive. Getty Images -
Morten Thorsby, left, was one of five Sampdoria footballers to test positive. Lapresse via AP -
Fiorentina foward Patrick Cutrone, on loan from Premier League Wolves, is one of three players to test positive at the club. EPA -
German Pezzella, right, of Fiorentina, said on Instagram that his symptoms had disappeared after he tested positive. EPA -
Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic was another confirmed case. Fiorentina said in a statement on March 13: "The club is in the process of undertaking all the necessary isolation procedures in accordance with the regulations, starting with identifying all the people who have had contact with the player." EPA -
Hannover's Timo Hubers, right, was the first player in Germany to be diagnosed. Reuters -
Paderborn's Luca Kilian tested positive. The Bundesliga has been suspended until April 2. EPA
