AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been placed in quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus, the Italian club disclosed on Thursday.
Ibrahimovic, who turns 39 on October 3, is self-isolating at home following the test carried out ahead of the team’s Europa League third qualifying round tie against Norwegian club Bodo-Glimt in the San Siro later Thursday.
“Ibrahimovic has tested positive for Covid-19 following a second round of swab tests ahead of tonight’s game against Bodo/Glimt,” the Serie A side said.
The second round of tests was carried out after AC Milan’s Brazilian defender Leo Duarte tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.
Swede Ibrahimovic will not only skip Thursday’s game but any Europa League play-offs and the next two Serie A games against Crotone and Spezia.
Ibrahimovic has scored three goals in two games so far this season — a double in AC Milan’s Serie A opener against Bologna last weekend having also netted against Irish side Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League.
The forward rejoined Milan in January on a six-month contract after leaving Los Angeles Galaxy, on a deal worth 3.5 million euros ($3.9 million) with the option for an additional season.
The former Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona player had a big impact, scoring 11 goals in 20 games.
“I think that we can all see that Ibra has played an important part in our season and our growth,” AC Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis said of last season.
The seven-time European champions moved up from 11th on his arrival to sixth, finishing the league season on a 12-game unbeaten run.
Ibrahimovic also helped Milan to the last of their 18 Serie A titles in 2011.
He also won three league titles with Inter and two with Juventus which were both revoked because of the ‘Calciopoli’ match-fixing scandal.
