Soccer: Real Madrid’s Varane positive for COVID-19, out vs. Liverpool, Barcelona

April 6 (UPI) — Real Madrid’s defense took another hit Tuesday when the Spanish La Liga club said fullback Raphael Varane tested positive for COVID-19. Varane will miss Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal against Liverpool.

Madrid said in a news release that the positive test result surfaced Tuesday morning. The 13-time Champions League titleholders battle the Reds in the first leg quarterfinal at 3 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium in Madrid.

Varane also is expected to miss Madrid’s El Clasico rivalry matchup with Barcelona at 3 p.m. EDT Saturday in Madrid.

Barcelona and Madrid rank second and third, respectively, in the La Liga standings with nine games left in the season. Atletico Madrid sits in first place in the Spanish soccer league.

Madrid also will play without Sergio Ramos for the next two games, which means the decimated defense will likely have two new starters against Liverpool and Barcelona.

Ramos, Madrid’s captain, injured a calf muscle during Spain’s World Cup qualifier win over Kosovo on Wednesday in Seville, Spain.

The Madrid defense also is without right back Dani Carvajal, who hasn’t played since February due to a thigh injury. Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao are the only healthy starting center backs available for Madrid.

Six Madrid senior players and coach Zinedine Zidane have tested positive for COVID-19 this season.

“We never give anything up,” Zidane told reporters Monday. “I’m confident in my players and know what they are capable of.”

Madrid faces Liverpool in the second leg of the quarterfinal at 3 p.m. EDT April 14 at Anfield in Liverpool, England.