After A Party Without A Mask In Argentina, PSG Management Declares Messi Positive For COVID-19

Luionel Messi holds a party without a mask in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. (photo: screenshot of Tiktok @jorbarreto87)

JAKARTA – Paris St Germain is in danger. According to the management of the French Ligue 1 club, PSG's Argentina star Lionel Messi and three other players have tested positive for COVID-19.

Apart from Messi, defender Juan Bernat, reserve goalkeeper Sergio Rico and midfielder Nathan Bitumazala have also tested positive for COVID-19.

PSG said in a statement that the four players are currently in self-isolation and are subject to the health protocols in force in France and are under strict management supervision.

France this week reported 219,126 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period on Saturday. This is the fourth straight day the country has recorded more than 200,000 cases.

France has joined the United States, India, Brazil, Britain and Russia in having more than 10 million cases during the pandemic that emerged since 2019.

PSG are top of the Ligue 1 standings with 46 points after 19 games, 13 ahead of second-placed Nice.

They will travel to third-tier club Vannes on Monday, December 3 for their Coupe de France last 32 clash.

In that match, PSG certainly could not lose the winner of the seven Ballon d'Or awards. Luckily other star players like Neymar and Kyllian Mbappe, are still very fit to be fielded by Mauricio Pochettino.

Messi's positive result was known after PSG asked Messi to do a test as soon as he returned from his holiday in Argentina. In the holiday event he was known to be seen singing and dancing at a concert in Argentina.

The 34-year-old player, took advantage of the French League winter holiday with his wife, Antonela. A video on Instagram shows Messi and his wife having fun at a concert in Rosario, Sante Fe, without wearing masks. So did the people at the party.

The video was also uploaded to a TikTok account @jorbarreto87. The video has up to 367,000 likes and was posted on December 29.

Meanwhile, in a post that he uploaded on Instagram on December 1, 2022, Messi made a post about his career journey during 2021. At that time the test results had not yet come out.

“I can only be grateful for all that I have to live in 2021. Especially when a lot of people are going through really bad times because of the annoying virus that never ends. May 2022 bring a lot of health, that's what I wish you in the new year. Hug everyone!!!”

Argentina international Messi joined PSG from boyhood club Barcelona in August and the 34-year-old has scored six goals in 16 games in all competitions for the Parisian club.