India football captain Sunil Chhetri said on Thursday that he has tested positive for Covid-19. However, a top official of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said that the ace forward would join the probables for the Indian team in Dubai for a camp on March 18 or 19.
Chhetri is part of the 35-member list of probables for a preparatory camp in Dubai, for which the players will leave on March 15, ahead of India’s international friendlies against Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 25 and 29, respectively. Both matches will be played in Dubai.
“Chhetri is in quarantine so he will recover and join the team a little later, on the 18th or 19th. The team is leaving on March 15. He will be going out a couple of days later,” a senior All India Football Federation (AIFF) official told IANS.
The official further said that Chhetri will be available for selection for both the friendly games. Chhetri said on Thursday that he feels fine and is recovering from the virus.
“In a not-so-happy update, I’ve tested positive for COVID-19. In better news, I feel fine as I continue my recovery from the virus and should be back on a football pitch soon. No better time to keep reminding everyone to continue taking all the safety precautions always,” Chhetri, 36, tweeted.
Chhetri was playing for Bengaluru FC in the 2020/21 Indian Super League until February 25. He was the highest scorer for the team with eight goals in 20 appearances, in an underwhelming campaign in which Bengaluru finished seventh. They thus missed out on a playoff spot for the first time since joining the league in the 2017/18 season.
