21.30 CET – Multiple sources close to Roma have confirmed to RomaPress that Paulo Fonseca has not tested positive for COVID-19 while General Director, Tiago Pinto, who arrived in the Italian capital yesterday from Lisbon, still remains positive.
Fonseca will join his team tomorrow in Calabria to oversee their league fixture against Crotone. The technician didn’t board the team’s flight late this afternoon after he was considered a close contact with his compatriot.
As for Pinto, the 36 year-old initially tested positive for COVID on the 22nd of December while still at Benfica. Roma has confirmed that his molecular test returned a negative result before he boarded his flight yesterday from Lisbon to the Italian capital.
Per regulations, entrants into Italy from Portugal are required to test negative for the virus within 48 hours of entry.
#Fonseca è risultato negativo al COVID-19, domani raggiunge la squadra @ASRomaPress
— John Solano (@Solano_56) January 5, 2021
21.00 CET – La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported late this evening that Roma manager Paulo Fonseca has tested positive for Coronavirus.
Questions arose earlier this afternoon after the Portuguese tactician was not present alongside his players and staff when they boarded their team bus bound for Fiumicino Airport ahead of their flight to Crotone.
It was initially reported that Fonseca was suffering from the stomach flu and would not oversee the Giallorossi’s league fixture tomorrow against bottom of the table Crotone.
With this latest update, though, it’s possible that Roma could be without their manager for an extended period as they approach one of the most critical periods of their campaign.
The capital club face Crotone tomorrow followed by two important league showdowns against Inter on Sunday and Lazio on the 15th.
