Benzema Positive For COVID-19, Reunion With Ancelotti Postponed

JAKARTA - Real Madrid announced that striker Karim Benzema has tested positive for COVID-19 and the club, being coached by Carlo Ancelotti, is in the process of drawing up their plans for the 2021-2022 season.

The French national team forward will certainly not take part in the upcoming pre-season training due to having to undergo self-isolation.

"Real Madrid can confirm that our player Karim Benzema has tested positive for COVID-19," wrote the Spanish giant on its official website, as quoted by Antara from Reuters on Friday.

It was confirmed that he would not join the rest of the Madrid squad before the results of the subsequent examination were negative.

Benzema himself has not yet returned to the El Real squad because he is still on vacation after playing for France in Euro 2020.

After being called up again by Les Blues coach Didier Deschamps, the 33-year-old scored four goals for his country before being knocked out in the last 16.

Ancelotti is looking forward to reuniting with Benzema in the Spanish capital.

The Italian coach returned to the Santiago Bernabeu for a second term after replacing Zinedine Zidane.

He coached Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 to win "La Decima" or give the club a tenth Champions League title.