Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane tests positive for Covid-19

Real Madrid have confirmed that manager Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for Covid-19, and the Frenchman will be required to self-isolate immediately.

The club are yet to add if any other members of the coaching or playing staff have had to isolate or whether they will be able to fulfil their immediate fixtures. The statement only reads: "Real Madrid C. F. report that our coach Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for Covid-19."

There has been no indication as to whether Zidane is suffering with symptoms but this is certainly turning into a week to forget for the Spanish champions. Should their game with Alaves this weekend go ahead, they're in desperate need of a return to winning ways, now sitting seven points behind league leaders Atletico, who also have a game in hand.

Following the club's embarrassing defeat in the Copa del Rey earlier this week at the hands of Alcoyano, a team currently playing in the third-tier of Spanish football, Zidane has already been in the headlines this week but for all the wrong reasons.

Reports from Argentina earlier this week claim that Florentino Perez is 'desperate' to bring in River Plate's Marcelo Gallardo to replace the 48-year-old. At a time when Zidane will be desperate to get on the training ground and put that disappointing midweek result behind him, he'll now be unable to do so.

To date, the former attacking midfielder has won three UEFA Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey twice as boss but they have failed to show their quality consistently this season.

The standards at the Santiago Bernabeu (or the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano for the time being) are high, and Zidane admitted after their Copa del Rey exit that he is feeling the pressure.