News broke shortly before 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 1st, via a PSG tweet: “Tests conducted during the winter recess and prior to the resumption of training revealed four positive COVID-19 cases among players and one among the staff. Affected individuals are subject to current COVID protocols.” Just before the holiday break, during the December 22nd match against Lorient (1-1), Thilo Kehrer and Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe were sidelined due to positive coronavirus tests.
The identities of the four players remain undisclosed for now. However, an announcement is imminent. Paris faces Vannes this Monday, January 3rd, in the Coupe de France Round of 16. Players with the virus will miss the contest. Sergio Ramos will also be absent due to suspension.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino, also facing a positive staff member, faces a challenging task in assembling his starting eleven. The challenge is compounded by the absence of several key players. South American players – Leo Messi, Angel Di Maria, Mauro Icardi, Leandro Paredes, Neymar, and Marquinhos – are scheduled to return on Sunday at the Camp des Loges training ground. Goalkeeper Keylor Navas returned a day early and trained Saturday with Gianluigi Donnarumma. Kylian Mbappé and Marco Verratti fully participated in Saturday’s training session.
The four affected Parisians missed Saturday afternoon’s first training session of 2022. They are unlikely to feature in the January 9th match against Lyon, the team’s 20th league game of the season. Their participation hinges on their COVID-19 status. The prevalent Omicron variant is impacting teams across all leagues, and PSG’s 2022 return to the field is no exception.