SUPER Eagles defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem face being quarantined for the next seven days after Martin Ortega the director-general of their Spanish club Leganes tested positive for coronavirus.
With the dreaded virus currently sweeping across Europe, most sporting activities have been cancelled and virtually all the leagues have been suspended. In England, the Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was placed in isolation after it was feared he contracted it, while three Leicester City players are believed to have been infected too.
Already, several Super Eagles’ players have been placed in isolation, including Alex Iwobi after his clubside Everton was put in quarantine. Also, the Confederation of African Football has suspended Nigeria’s forthcoming African nations Cup qualifiers due against Sierra Leone later this month.
Now, two members of the Eagles faced being placed in isolation for a week to ascertain that they are free of the virus. Mr Ortega, 35, a former Spanish midfielder ended his playing career at Leganes and after graduating in law and obtaining a master’s degree in sports law, he was hired as director-general in May 2017.
With this latest development, Leganes has directed its first team squad and coaching staff to go into self-isolation as a precaution. All club activity, including training, has also been suspended for the time being.
Italian politician and former Lazio president, Nicola Zingaretti and Olympiacos owner, Evangelos Marinakis, are two other known football managers currently down with the virus. All of Europe’s five major leagues are expected to remain suspended until April at the earliest for now.
