João Cancelo positive for Covid and replaced in Portugal squad by Dalot

Manchester City defender João Cancelo has tested positive for Covid-19 two days before Portugal’s Euro 2020 opener against Hungary.

Cancelo has been placed in isolation and Portugal’s coach, Fernando Santos, has replaced the 27-year-old with Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot for the European champions’ first game in Budapest on Tuesday.

Dalot spent last season on loan at Milan and was part of the Portugal side beaten in the European Championship Under-21 final by Germany last week.

“The AC Milan player will replace João Canceloo, who tested positive for Covid-19 following a quick test of the antigen carried out this Saturday by the health and performance unit of the FPF,” read a statement from the Portuguese Football Federation.

“The Hungarian health authorities were immediately informed and the player – who is fine – was placed in isolation.

“The result of the test carried out by the health and performance unit was confirmed by an RT-PCR test carried out on João Cancelo also on Saturday and the result of which was known on

Sunday morning.

“In accordance with the Covid-19 protocol defined by Uefa before the matches of Euro 2020, on Saturday all players and members of the entourage were subjected to RT-PCR tests. The results, with the exception of João Cancelo, were negative.”

Cancelo came into Euro 2020 on the back of an impressive season at

City, making 43 appearances as Pep Guardiola’s side completed a Premier League and Carabao Cup double and reached the final of the Champions League.