"Xherdan Shaqiri tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. He will be quarantined according to strict regulations on epidemic prevention from UEFA," the Swiss Football Federation's homepage announced.
Goal reported that the Liverpool midfielder will be forced to be quarantined for 14 days according to medical regulations. This means he will not be able to participate in the international series in October with the Swiss national team. Shaqiri could even miss a number of Liverpool games if his condition does not improve positively.
Xherdan Shaqiri is the third Liverpool player this season to be affected by COVID-19. Last week, Thiago Alcantara and Sadio Mane were forced to take a long break from competition due to this evil virus. However, unlike the previous two cases, Shaqiri is not a mainstay of Liverpool.
Mane's absence from the competition was an opportunity for Shaqiri to compete with Minamino and Jota, to show off and take a place on the field. However, the results positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus ruined the 28-year-old midfielder's plan.
Under the reign of coach Jurgen Klopp, Xherdan Shaqiri was only a "support" on the bench and rarely had the opportunity to be used. Last season, he only made 12 appearances in all competitions, scoring 1 goal and providing 1 assist.
Shaqiri's future is further shaky as coach Jurgen Klopp continuously brings in Takumi Minamino and Diogo Jota - who play in the same position as him.
Meanwhile, the midfield is also cramped with Thiago, while the trio Mane - Salah - Firmino still play well. Despite many speculations that Shaqiri will leave Anfield in the summer of 2020, he still decided to continue to stick with the reigning Premier League champions.
