Pep Guardiola misses Manchester City cup tie after positive Covid test

Pep Guardiola File Photo
(Image credit: Martin Rickett)

Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester City’s FA Cup third-round tie at Swindon on Friday following a coronavirus outbreak at the Premier League champions.

City have announced that manager Guardiola and assistant Juanma Lillo returned positive tests on Tuesday along with a number of other members of the “first-team bubble”.

The club have not identified any of the other individuals but have given details of the number affected.

A statement on the club’s website added: “This brings the number of those isolating for Covid-related reasons amongst the group to 21. Of that number, 14 are backroom staff with seven first-team players.”

Rodolfo Borrell, another of Guardiola’s coaching assistants, will take charge of the team at Swindon.

The news comes after Burnley announced their manager, Sean Dyche, will be absent as the Clarets host Huddersfield in their third-round tie on Saturday.

Dyche has also tested positive for Covid-19 this week.

A statement read: “Burnley Football Club can confirm manager Sean Dyche will miss this weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to Huddersfield, after testing positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Sean will now follow the mandatory self-isolation protocols.”

Elsewhere, Gabon boss Patrice Neveu has revealed Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has contracted Covid-19.

The Gunners striker is one of several Premier League players with the virus but he is currently preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Sunday.

Gabon’s first game is on Monday against Comoros and Neveu revealed Aubameyang, team-mate Mario Lemina and coach Yala Anicet were waiting on the results of PCRs following positive lateral flow tests.

He told reporters on Thursday: “They underwent a PCR test and are isolating in their hotel.”

Meanwhile, Everton have announced their Women’s Super League match at Aston Villa scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to coronavirus cases in their squad.

It is the third fixture of the forthcoming round of WSL games to be called off after Chelsea v Tottenham (Friday) and West Ham v Manchester United (Sunday) were postponed on Wednesday because of Covid-19 in the home camps.