Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 2:31 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 14:34

A big downer for Portugal in the run-up to the opening match at the European Championship against Hungary on Tuesday. Saturday’s PCR test has shown that João Cancelo has tested positive and will miss the European Championship, the Portuguese Football Association FPF announced on Sunday via its official website. The Manchester City defender has left the training camp of the reigning European champions. His place is taken by Diogo Dalot. The federation reports that Cancelo is ‘doing well’.

During the final PCR test on Saturday, Cancelo was the only player in the Portuguese squad to test positive, so the defender was immediately quarantined. Cancelo is considered a fixed value in Portugal and can play on both right and left back. He also kicked off during the last friendly against Israel. Portugal won the game 4-0 and Cancelo scored the third goal.

Dalot was loaned out by Manchester United to AC Milan last season, where he made 21 appearances in Serie A. Dalot last week participated in the European Under-21 Championship with Portugal. The Portuguese advanced to the final, but had to recognize their superiority in Young Germany (1-0). Dalot went through several youth teams of Portugal, but has yet to make his debut in the main squad. Portugal will face perhaps the least difficult opponent in Group F with Hungary on Tuesday. After Hungary, confrontations with Germany and France in the ‘Pool of death’ await.

Portugal is certainly not the first country to be hit by the corona virus. They also have to miss a number of players in Sweden. Both Juventus’ Dejan Kulusevski and Bologna midfielder Mattias Svanberg were recently tested positive for the coronavirus. In addition, players in Spain and Russia were also infected. At the Dutch national team, a positive corona test put a line through the European Championship of Jasper Cillessen. The goalkeeper was left at home by national coach Frank de Boer and replaced by Marco Bizot.

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