CRISTIANO Ronaldo will miss today’s UEFA Champions League match following another positive COVID-19 test on Tuesday.
Ronaldo’s Italian club, Juventus is billed to play Lionel Messi’s Barcelona tonight in what pundits had described as ‘new chapter in the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi rivalry’.
Ronaldo tested positive on Oct. 14 while on international duty with Portugal and reportedly tested positive again last week, leaving his participation for the clash in doubt. Numerous reports in Europe are now saying Ronaldo will be out of the match.
Juve manager Andrea Pirlo spoke to the media on Tuesday and said that the club was awaiting results of his latest test.
“We must wait for the outcome [of Ronaldo’s test]. I think the result will come tonight. First we wait for the outcome and then we’ll see,” Pirlo said.
“We will count on the players we have available.”
Ronaldo has not played for Juve since his diagnosis, but teammate Weston McKennie also tested positive and was back in the squad this past weekend.
If Ronaldo can’t officially go, we’ll likely see a duo of Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala up top to face a Gerard Pique-less Barca defence. Pique is suspended for the game after getting a Matchday 1 red card. Ronaldo is the team’s star in the final third and most consistent scorer, so not having him would be quite the boost for Barca.
So far this season, Ronaldo has three goals in two games for Juve.
-NEWS AGENCIES
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