Atletico women suspend training ahead of Champions League clash

The women’s Champions League, which will be staged as an eight-team mini-tournament in the Spanish cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian, will resume on Aug. 21.

The Atletico Madrid women’s team have suspended training after four more members of the squad and coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19, the club said. Just 10 days before their Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, the club said in a statement that the four were isolating at home and that the squad would continue to follow strict protocols.

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - VIllarreal v Atletico Madrid - Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain - December 6, 2019 General view of the match ball before the match REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo (REUTERS)

Atletico had to cancel a friendly last week after a positive test on Friday. Two players from the men’s team -- forward Angel Correa and injured defender Sime Vrsaljko -- also tested positive and will miss the club’s trip to the Champions League ‘Final Eight’ tournament in Lisbon.

The women’s Champions League, which will be staged as an eight-team mini-tournament in the Spanish cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian, will resume on Aug. 21.

Spain, one of the worst affected countries in the world by the virus, is continuing to experience a steady rise in infections and earlier this week overtook Britain as the country with the most cases in Western Europe.

(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)