Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane tests positive for COVID-19

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for COVID-19, the La Liga champions revealed on Friday. The Frenchman will begin his mandatory period of self-isolation.

It is understood that the French boss was isolating earlier this month after a close contact tested positive and as a result, he had not attended a training session. Zidane currently is under tremendous pressure as his side is seven points behind leaders Atletico Madrid in the La Liga, while Los Blancos suffered a shocking cup defeat to third division side Alcoyano earlier this week.

The former footballer, whose future at the Spanish capital has been seeing serious questions, is set to miss Real Madrid's away match at Alaves on Saturday, with his assistant David Bettoni set to take charge. Real have gone three matches without a win, slipping out of the Super Cup and Copa del Rey in the process.

Zidane is not the first manager to test positive for coronavirus. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was among the first ones to contract the virus in European football. West Ham manager David Moyes also had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this campaign.

Zidane is the latest entrant in a long line of senior figures at the Santiago Bernabeu to contract the virus. Real's 31-year-old defender Nacho Fernandez had to sit out the midweek match with Alcoyano after testing positive for COVID-19. He was drafted to start the game with Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos ruled out. Luka Jovic, who is currently away on a loan spell back at Eintracht Frankfurt, is another to have tested positive this season.

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard, midfielder Casemiro and defender Eder Militao also tested positive earlier this season.

Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Thiago Alcantara, and Paulo Dybala are among the other star players to have tested positive for COVID-19.