Croatia lose Perisic to positive Covid test

Zagreb (AFP) – Croatia will be without Ivan Perisic for Monday’s Euro 2020 last-16 tie against Spain after the Inter Milan winger tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.

Perisic has scored twice in three matches at the tournament to help drag the 2018 World Cup finalists into the knockout stages after a slow start.

However, his tournament looks to be over as he must isolate for 10 days and would therefore miss the quarter-finals and semi-finals should Croatia make it that far.

“During Saturday evening, (the) Croatian Football Federation received the results of regular testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which showed that player Ivan Perisic has tested positive for novel coronavirus,” the Croatian football federation said in a statement.

“Medical staff isolated Ivan from the other members of the national team and immediately and thoroughly informed competent epidemiological authorities about the situation, providing evidence of complying with all the necessary measures aimed at protection against the spread of coronavirus.

“Perisic will spend 10 days in self-isolation and during that period will not participate at the matches of the Croatian national team.”

The rest of the Croatian squad and backroom staff have tested negative.

Perisic scored his side’s third goal in a 3-1 win over Scotland on Tuesday just days after a positive case in the Scottish camp for Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour.

England duo Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were forced into self-isolation after talking to club teammate Gilmour following a 0-0 draw between the sides on June 18, but no other Scottish players were required to isolate.

Along with captain Luka Modric, Perisic is one of Croatia’s key men and heroes of their run to the World Cup final three years ago.

His two goals at Euro 2020 took the 32-year-old’s tally at major international tournaments to nine.