Chelsea's
full squad has gone into self-isolation after winger Callum Hudson-Odoi
tested positive for coronavirus, the club said in a statement in the early
hours of Friday morning.
Hudson-Odoi displayed cold symptoms on Monday morning and has stayed away
from the club since then. His test result was returned on Thursday night
making him the first Premier League player to contract the virus.
He assured fans on Friday that he was on the mend, posting a video message
on social media.
The winger tweeted: "As you may be aware, I've had the virus for the last
couple of days, which I've recovered from.
"I'm feeling fine. Following the health guidelines and self-isolating myself
from everybody for the week. I hope to see everybody soon and hopefully be
back on the pitch very soon."
It was confirmed on Friday morning that the Premier League games had been
postponed until April 4. Frank Lampard's team had been due to play at Aston
Villa on Saturday.
Hudson-Odoi stayed away from the the training ground with a club statement
saying: "Chelsea personnel who had recent close contact with the player in
the men's team building will now self-isolate in line with Government health
guidelines.
"These will include initially the full men's team squad, coaching staff and
a number of backroom staff.
"It is expected that those who did not have close contact with Callum will
return to work in the coming days. In the meantime, the men's team building,
one of several separate buildings at our training ground, will remain
closed."
The Premier League held an emergency meeting on Friday morning to determine
a course of action in response to coronavirus following the news on Thursday
evening that Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta had tested positive.
Arsenal's entire squad were put in self-isolation and their match against
Brighton on Saturday had already been cancelled.
On Thursday, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed three of his
players are being kept away from the rest of the squad after displaying
coronavirus symptoms.
Rodgers did not confirm which players may be affected.
"We've had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs [of
coronavirus]. We've followed procedures and [as a precaution] they have been
kept away from the squad," Rodgers said.
"We've self-isolated the three of them and we'll see how that develops in
the next couple of days.
"This is about health, this is more than football. This is about players and
their families, so any risks that are there for their health and everyone
else's, we have to mitigate against that."
Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy is in self-isolation as a precaution
after a family member was tested for coronavirus.
"The club is aware that a family member of a senior men's team player is in
hospital with symptoms of a respiratory illness," a club statement read.
Football around Europe called off
UEFA confirmed they had postponed next week's Champions League and Europa
League games while the Scottish FA Board has suspended all domestic
professional and grassroots football until further notice.
Real Madrid have placed their players in self-isolation after one of the
club's basketball players, who share facilities with Real's football
players, tested positive for the virus. That led to the instant decision by
the Spanish league to bring matches to a halt for the next two rounds.
Juventus' players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, were already in
self-isolation after defender Daniele Rugani tested positive for the virus
on Wednesday.
In announcing the postponement of the second leg between City and Real
Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday, UEFA said the match
between Juventus and Lyon - scheduled for the same night - was also off.
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