Cristiano Ronaldo tests positive for COVID-19

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has confirmed that Juventus and Portugual striker Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for the coronavirus. He is reportedly asymptomatic and, per the health protocol, will self-isolate for 10 days.

This means that he will certainly miss Juve’s games against Crotone (17 October) and Dynamo Kyiv (20 October), while it’s a touch-and-go when it comes to the games against Hellas Verona (25 October) and the home clash against Barcelona (28 October). He will also miss Portugal’s game against Sweden for the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday.

There’s a bit of controversy about this situation though, as ESPN reports the following:

He was among several Juve players who joined up with their national teams last week and did not remain in quarantine in Turin after Juve reported that two staff members had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Juve announced that the squad isolated at Juve’s hotel as per the protocol by Turin’s health authorities. Ronaldo did test negative in one test carried out in Turin but left Juve’s hotel on Monday before the second test was carried out. [emphasis added]

Juventus players weren’t allowed by the local health authorities to leave the hotel until Oct. 7, two days after Ronaldo had joined Portugal. The Turin health authorities have reported those Juve players who left the quarantine early to the local prosecutor’s office to determine whether any infraction of the protocol was committed.

Source: ESPN

His participation in Juventus games depends on when/if he returns a negative test for the virus after 10 days of quarantine. Given that someone like Dybala took over a month to clear the virus, it remains to be seen when Ronaldo will be able to rejoin the squad.

That said, his health and the health of all those who have contracted the virus is the priority right now.