Portugal goalkeeper Anthony Lopes has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss out on his team’s Nations Cup match against France on Sunday, the Portuguese football federation announced Friday.
Lopes, who plays his club football at Ligue 1 outfit Lyon and was born in the eastern French town of Givors, will be replaced by Vitoria Guimaraes’ goalkeeper Bruno Varela, who will undergo coronavirus testing before joining up with the squad.
Lopes becomes the second positive case in the Portugal squad after Lille defender Jose Fonte was obliged to step down just before the team’s 0-0 friendly draw with Spain on Wednesday.
Lopes’ teammates and the Portuguese backroom staff were all to undergo further tests on Friday before an end-of-day training session. The squad’s departure to Paris has been put back a day to Saturday.
