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Cesc Fabregas's wife Daniella Semaan has slammed reports that claimed Lionel Messi had an affair with an Argentine journalist.

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Fabregas' wife denies Messi's alleged affairThe Argentine reportedly cheated on wife AntonellaReported in Brazilian mediaWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the Brazilian media outlet , the Inter Miami star is apparently facing a crisis in his married life and is on the verge of splitting up with his wife Antonella Roccuzzo after he allegedly had an affair with Argentine journalist Sofia Martinez.

But Cesc Fabregas' wife Daniella Semaan, who is extremely close to the Messi family, has denied the rumours and slammed the media report

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Replying to an Instagram post, Semaan wrote, "What publication is this that has no meaning.. and has nothing right."

Messi and Roccuzzo have known each other since childhood and have been in a relationship for 15 years. The couple got married in 2017 and has three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The claims that there have been reports in Argentina as well that claim that the 36-year-old star is allegedly in love with a woman and it is not his wife Antonella.

Journalist Sofia Martinez came into the limelight during the World Cup for her famous and passionate speech addressing the Argentina skipper after he guided his team to the final beating Croatia in the semis. She thanked the Barcelona legend on behalf of all Argentines.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIONEL MESSI?

Messi is currently enjoying the off-season after Inter Miami's MLS campaign ended last month. He was recently seen in action for La Albiceleste who played World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay and Brazil.

Zimbabwe are to be given state guest importance during their tour of Pakistan, and can expect to see more visible security measures than usual in the country

Umar Farooq17-May-2015Pakistan is set to host a Full Member opposition for the first time in six years, hoping to “change the perception” of the country. Zimbabwe, who confirmed the tour on Sunday, might be travelling to Lahore against the advice of the country’s Sports and Recreation Commission, but the PCB and the Punjab government have promised adequate security measures to make the series successful.Zimbabwe are to be given state guest importance, and can certainly expect to see more visible security measures than usual in the country. Over 4000 policemen will be deployed for the safety of the visitors across the city while two companies of Rangers – Pakistan’s paramilitary forces – will be on standby throughout the series.A dress rehearsal was carried out on Saturday, with police commandos escorting two empty buses from the team hotel to Gaddafi Stadium and back. The route between the hotel and stadium was cleared of traffic and shielded by armed policemen at 100m intervals. Every road leading to the stadium and hotel was patrolled.The route between the hotel and the stadium covers seven kilometers, and the team will be escorted through it with zero traffic impeding it. Helicopters will hover overhead during training and match days all over the routes and the stadium while 20 snipers will be deployed at undisclosed positions.The Inspector General of Punjab province, Mian Mushtaq Sukhera, will head the security and safety plan for the Zimbabwe team. The entire Nishtar sports complex, which houses the Gaddafi Stadium, will be under surveillance by 81 close-circuit cameras and the restaurants and shops around the outer layer of the stadium have already been vacated ahead of the series.No vehicle will be allowed within the sports complex, and public entry will be on foot from the Liberty roundabout, through extensive security layers. The complex has already been locked down ahead of the series. Journalists intending to cover the series have had to get their accreditation cleared by the law enforcement agency.The series, according to the provisional government, is a great opportunity to improve Pakistan’s image in the world. “We don’t want to waste this opportunity,” Col (retd) Shujah Khanzada, Punjab’s minister for interior, said. “After this series, the sports teams from other countries will also take inspiration from the Zimbabwe cricket team, which would definitely be a great success for Pakistan.”These are most difficult times of Pakistan, we all know this. We have to use all the means to ensure it’s safe. It will send a good message and we will build a strong image internationally. If we organise these matches successfully, there are lots of other teams, which are monitoring it and will play in Pakistan too.”The tickets for the series are already on sale with Gourmet – a Lahore-based bakery and confectionery chain – the main merchant. The advertisements for the series had not covered the northern and eastern parts of the city until Sunday but according to the PCB the entire city will be covered in the branding of the series by Monday. The hoardings around Gaddafi Stadium carry the words “Igniting a passion which brings a nation together” with the hashtag #cricketcomeshome.Gaddafi Stadium is the sole venue for the entire tour, which includes two T20s and three ODIs. Over 60,000 spectators packed the stadium for the 1996 World Cup final won by Sri Lanka, but the capacity, after renovation, has come down to around 24,000. Tickets prices for the series will range from PKR 150 to 1000 for the ODIs and between PKR 300 and 1500 for the T20s.Since the Lahore attack on Sri Lankan team – almost six years and two months ago – Pakistan have had to play their home series at offshore venues, mainly in the UAE. Before Zimbabwe, the PCB had tried to negotiate with Bangladesh for a tour but they withdrew after committing twice. The Zimbabwe tour, after lengthy talks, was confirmed by all the cricketing stakeholders, including the International Cricket Council.The tour, however, suffered an early blow when Zimbabwe initially suspended their visit following an attack on a Karachi bus by gunmen who killed at least 43 people.The Zimbabwe team, however, is set to fly from Harare with a stopover in Dubai en route to the Alama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore. The 15-man squad will land in Lahore on May 19 at 2.40am. “The tour is going ahead and we leave tonight,” Dav Whatmore, Zimbabwe’s head coach, told .

The former Newcastle striker's status as the Premier League's top scorer is not safe as long as the insatiable Norwegian remains in England

Alan Shearer airlines launched this month to fly Harry Kane to Germany and ferry the former Newcastle striker's Premier League goalscoring record to safety. Kane was just 47 strikes away from taking Shearer's long-running record, which stands at 260, but the England captain is now contracted to Bayern Munich until 2027, when he will be 34, his best days likely to be behind him.

With the biggest threat to his record now looking to make his mark in the Bundesliga, Shearer's status as the leading marksman in Premier League history looks assured. He can retire early as a pilot and put his feet up. Or can he?

Kane may be gone but there is another lethal goalscorer on the prowl ready to give Shearer fresh nightmares. After sending all sorts of records tumbling in his sensational first season in the Premier League, Erling Haaland has already made a flying start to his second campaign.

Shearer will need to keep his pilot's uniform in a safe place and start mapping out new potential destinations. The Manchester City striker is hungry and coming for that record.

(C)Getty ImagesOne record down already

Shearer has already had to endure Haaland stripping him of one major record. He was the last person to have scored 34 goals in a Premier League season, firing Blackburn Rovers to the title in 1994-95, five years before Haaland was born.

Shearer shared that record with Andy Cole and must have thought it was safe when the Premier League reduced the number of teams from 22 to 20, cutting the number of games per season from 42 to 38. Still, Mohamed Salah came close, scoring 32 times in the 2017-18 campaign.

Shearer knew, however, that Haaland was going to break that record when he interviewed the Norwegian in February, when he was already on 25 goals. "I know about a couple of your records," said the City striker with a smile.

Three months later, against West Ham, Haaland duly broke Shearer and Cole's record by scoring goal number 35. But what about the other record?

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesMore than a goal per game

Even after his jaw-dropping start to life in England, Haaland does still have a long way to go to catch Shearer due to the former striker's longevity. Haaland has 38 goals compared to Shearer's 260. The fact he has a deficit of 222 goals to make up might make him seem like not much of a threat.

But his goals-per-game rate tells a different story. Shearer amassed his tally in 441 appearances, averaging 0.59 goals per game. Haaland has only played 36 Premier League games, giving him a rate of 1.06 goals per game.

At his current rate, Haaland needs to play just five and a half more seasons to catch Shearer. So, if he can maintain his current performance levels and avoid major injuries, he could take Shearer's record off his hands midway through the 2028-29 season.

Getty ImagesNo sign of slowing down

Haaland quickly settled any questions about struggling to live up to his first season by opening his account for the new campaign in less than four minutes against Burnley.

The Norwegian fired City into the lead with his first touch of the ball, volleying home Rodri's cushioned header. His second goal was another lethal one-touch finish, slamming Julian Alvarez's lay off in off the crossbar.

Haaland was hungry for a third goal and was livid with Bernardo Silva for not playing him in before half-time, leading to a telling off from Pep Guardiola, who backed the Portuguese for not risking surrendering possession.

How many other players would rage at team-mates when they had already scored twice in a first half? The incident was played down by Guardiola but it underlined Haaland's insatiable hunger for goals. And that's bad news for Shearer.

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GettyGets better with every season

Many pundits thought that, as good as Haaland was, he would need some time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League and his goalscoring rate would drop off. In a stunning response to those doubters, Haaland instead scored more goals in his debut season in England than he had in any of his previous campaigns in Norway, Austria or Germany.

The simple explanation is that Haaland just gets better with each season. In his first year in Norway's top flight with Molde, aged 16, he scored two goals. The following year he struck 12. In just one half of the 2019-20 season with RB Salzburg he scored 28 goals in all competitions.

He added a further 16 in the second half of the campaign with Borussia Dortmund. In his first full campaign with Dortmund he plundered 41 goals. The Norwegian slowed down a bit the following season, which was disrupted by several muscle injuries, but still managed 30 goals in 30 games.

And with City, playing in arguably the best league in the world, he scored 52 goals in 53 games. Based on how his career has gone so far, we should be expecting Haaland to improve on that unbelievable tally this season. That means he could get to Shearer's record even quicker.

Chelsea have been advised on how to make their transfer business “easier” following a £1 billion ($1.2bn) spend by Todd Boehly and the Blues board.

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Huge money spent in west LondonLittle return seen as yetUrged to build around 'core'WHAT HAPPENED?

The Premier League giants have splashed the cash on a regular basis across the last three windows. They parted with £600m ($748m) during the 2022-23 campaign and refused to tighten the purse strings during the last recruitment market.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT THEY SAID

Little value has been found despite investing big money, with former Chelsea defender Gary Cahill using his time at the club as an example of how less can be more. He has told : “When you’re in transition and the team’s evolving and changing, when we were successful here we had the core of the team and then we added one or two players to that and that’s a lot easier to adapt those players into the system and the football club. When you have so many changes, it does take time. The ability is there, first and foremost, but it takes time to learn this league and get experience. You get experience good and bad, football’s not all roses. They’ve had a few sticky results and that will give them some experience. In contrast to that, the manager has obviously got bundles of experience in this league, so I think he’s a great person to guide them through this.”

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Chelsea have, with Mauricio Pochettino now at the helm, picked up just four points from as many Premier League games in 2023-24. Cahill added on an ambitious rebuild in west London: “Obviously it’s quite disappointing in terms of the results but the average age of the squad is very, very young and it’s a new squad that’s been put together. A lot of them have not got huge experience in football just yet and certainly not in the Premier League so that will take time, it’s a very hard league. But there’s bundles of talent. I was away on pre-season with them and saw the training, and I was very impressed. But this will obviously take time. Time and patience and let these young players develop.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Cahill took in 290 appearances for Chelsea across eight years, with the Blues winning two Premier League titles, a couple of FA Cups, the League Cup, Champions League and the Europa League on two occasions during that time – with shrewd investment making them fiercely competitive at home and abroad.

Barcelona's Inigo Martinez feels that Ilkay Gundogan did not intend for his criticism of the team to spark controversy after the Clasico defeat.

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Gundogan spoke out against team-matesReceived criticism for commentsInigo Martinez defends Germany internationalGetty WHAT HAPPENED?

Last month, the Catalan side lost 2-1 to Real Madrid after blowing a lead, which prompted a heated comment from Gundogan following the match in which he criticised the Barcelona team's response to the setback. Gundogan's remarks have caused some uproar as he called for greater fervour and cautioned his team that they were losing ground. Martinez has now claimed that Gundogan was just overcome by the passion of his first Clasico in an attempt to defuse the situation.

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"It was just after the game, in the heat of the moment, we had just lost against Real Madrid and when you are in the heat of the moment, you say things you don't mean," he told Sport. "Whenever you're like this, things usually don't come out well and often contribute little.

"We all knew what he wanted to say and none of us felt singled out. The next day, we talked about it. It was in the heat of the moment because you lose against Madrid and you say things that you don't really mean and you don't want to say. Everything is solved, there are good vibes. There is no problem between us."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The midfielder's future in Barcelona has already come under scrutiny. His wife Sara has previously refuted reports that Gundogan was unhappy with Barcelona's attempts to help the family settle into life at the club, while his agent has hit back at claims the midfielder wants to move to Galatasaray.

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WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Barcelona are third in the league, four points behind surprise leaders Girona, and will be in action when they take on Rayo Vallecano on November 25.

Timothy Weah has been ruled out of Juventus' clash with Napoli on Friday as the USMNT star's return to action has been delayed again.

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Weah got injured against Hellas VeronaContinues to recover from a thigh issueWould miss the clash against Napoli WHAT HAPPENED?

The Bianconeri will have to take the pitch against the reigning Serie A champions without Weah in their matchday squad. The 23-year-old is still nursing a thigh injury which he had picked up against Hellas Verona in late October.

AdvertisementWHAT MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI SAID

Speaking to reporters, Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri informed: "Everyone has recovered except Weah. I'll decide between Danilo and Alex Sandro tomorrow."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Medical reports revealed that Weah had suffered an injury on the semitendinosus of his right thigh. Although it was referred to as a “low-grade” setback and was expected that the player would be fit to resume action after the November international break, that has not been the case.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Weah has missed the last four Serie A games due to the injury. Allegri might continue to use Weston McKennie in his absence as he did against Inter and Monza. Whereas, Andrea Cambiaso is another option who can also be deployed on the right side of midfield.

After a flawless run at home, New Zealand have travelled to Melbourne for the World Cup final. This last challenge – against co-hosts Australia – will be their greatest

Andrew McGlashan26-Mar-20151:46

Crowe: NZ will need to adapt quickly to MCG

Home advantage has helped carry New Zealand through the World Cup, amid frenzied atmospheres that peaked during the astonishing semi-final against South Africa. Now, though, the players have left the feeling of familiarity behind to play the biggest match of their lives. And the contrast in venues does not come much greater than Eden Park to the MCG.Some of the shortest boundaries in the world will be replaced by some of the longest. Both grounds have hosted four matches in the World Cup: the Auckland sixes count is 56, Melbourne 19. However, to suggest that it is a game-changing difference is to do injustice to New Zealand’s batting. Martin Guptill’s 110-metre six that landed on the roof in Wellington would have comfortably made the MCG stands and Brendon McCullum will just see it as another challenge. Still, there will be a new test presented to the batsmen.New Zealand visited the MCG in October to get a feel for the venue, but walking round an empty ground cannot start to replicate what they will be greeted with on Sunday. The last time they played in Melbourne was 2009 and they were guided to victory by an unbeaten 61 from Grant Elliott, the one New Zealander not to make the planning trip last year.Six of the New Zealand side from that day will, barring injury, play the final. Alongside Elliott, there was McCullum, Guptill, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee. McCullum faced 75 balls for his 43; in his current mindset a 75-ball innings would leave him not far short of 150. Luke Ronchi, meanwhile, will bring his Australia and Western Australia memories with him, which amounts to 14 matches on the ground. For four of the likely starting XI – Kane Williamson, Corey Anderson, Trent Boult and Matt Henry – it will be their first appearances at the MCG.Vettori, in what is likely to be his final international appearance, will be a key player. Such is his longevity he has played eight times at the MCG from 1997 to 2009, and though he only has eight wickets his economy rate is 4.39 – albeit before the current fielding restrictions. In the 2009 match, he was part of a twin-spin attack alongside Jeetan Patel and bowled his allocation for 35 runs.Batsmen will need to adjust their sights and running between the wickets will become as important as clearing the rope. As a rudimentary example, there have been 26 threes run at the MCG in four matches compared to nine at Eden Park. That also impacts the fielding, the teamwork and aggression, which have been markers for New Zealand. Cutting off twos becomes a tough task for the deep fielders and you can expect plenty of use of the relay throw. And that’s before you factor in the ‘advice’ that will no doubt be offered from the other side of the fence.”We’ve played cricket around world so nothing really changes,” Henry insisted. “You just adapt to the conditions, we’ve done that throughout New Zealand. It doesn’t really matter with some of the guys in our team, boundaries aren’t big enough so we don’t need to worry about that. It’s just a beautiful ground, just enjoy it. Soak it up.”For the players, adjusting their own games is something they have control over. But one aspect of the final that is out of their hands will be the support-base. Whoever had won the second semi-final would have had the majority of the crowd behind them. Now that Australia have made it, New Zealand can expect a hostile welcome especially after the previous meeting at Eden Park.There will not be a full house roaring their support for New Zealand, as there was that day or in the semi-final, though significant Kiwi backing is expected. Air New Zealand have added an extra charter flight on Sunday morning to ferry fans across the Tasman – the return flight arriving in Auckland at 7.30 am on Monday, in time for work – while Jetstar have said “half their flights” from New Zealand to Melbourne are sold out. Still, a few planeloads of people do not make much of a dent in a 90,000-seater stadium.”The crowds have been amazing everywhere around the country,” Mike Hesson said. “We’ll miss them, no doubt, at the MCG but I know there’s a fair few going over … they’ll probably be drowned out but we’ll know they are there.”Henry, for whom this trip is only his second visit to Melbourne, was just waiting to savour the day. “For me personally it’s the first time to touch the turf,” he said. “There’s excitement, it’s not something to be daunted and scared of. It’s a time to embrace it.”Never mind that they are on Australia’s patch this time, New Zealand’s performances in this World Cup – and especially the semi-final – mean they will have no fear. The MCG provides a vast challenge, in every respect, but the ground alone will not decide the World Cup.

Heading into the new MLS season, it's no surprise to see last year's MLS Cup champions sitting atop the pile

The race for dominance in Major League Soccer is being led by one team, with 22 other teams try to figure out how to keep up with the Toronto FC juggernaut.

The reigning MLS Cup champions finished 2017 as a team widely regarded as the best in league history, but enter the 2018 season with an even stronger and deeper team than last year. Coach Greg Vanney and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko made full use of the league's increased allocation money resources to make improvements to an already stacked squad.

TFC wasn't alone in revamping. New York City FC made some good moves as well, while Atlanta United put together some of the biggest deals of the winter. There were considerable reconstruction projects as well, with Orlando City and the LA Galaxy looking like serious contenders after massive overhauls.

The Portland Timbers will be a top team to watch in the West, with new coach Giovanni Savarese inheriting a strong team as he looks to build on the foundation laid by Caleb Porter.

Then there is league newcomer LAFC, which is poised to challenge the league's best in year one. Bob Bradley's team is set to make a big splash in its debut season, led by Mexican star Carlos Vela.

Which of these teams, if any, will be able to dethrone Toronto FC? Here is a look at how sees the league's 23 teams stacking up at the start of the 2018 season.

Tim Heitman23Colorado Rapids

The Anthony Hudson era has begun in Colorado, and it’s tough to know for sure what the former New Zealand boss will bring to the table given his lack of top-level club experience. The Rapids were busy retooling their roster in the offseason, and while the team should be better than in 2018, it’s tough to get too excited about the group the Rapids have put together

AdvertisementJean-Yves Ahern/USA Today22Montreal ImpactFrench coach Remi Garde could be in for a rough ride as he takes over a Montreal team that saw some key players leave from a team that didn't have much talent to spare. Gone are Blerim Dzemaili and Laurent Ciman, with Saphir Taider brought in to try and offset Dzemaili's departure. Replacing Ciman is a tougher proposition, especially with newly acquired Zakaria Diallo already lost for the season due to injury.Winslow Townson21New England RevolutionBrad Friedel has a tough task in his first job as a head coach, taking over a New England side with plenty of issues. Kei Kamara's departure leaves a void at striker that newly acquired Cristian Penilla will need to fill. The defense was overhauled after another disappointing season, but it's not a sure bet the changes will translate into upgrades. Throw in a disgruntled Lee Nguyen having to stick around after a failed attempt to force a trade and you have the recipe for what could be an ugly season in New England.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Brad Rempel20Minnesota UnitedThe Loons weren't very busy in the offseason, which should have their fans worried about just how much better the second-year team will be in 2018. We shouldn't overlook the improvements shown down the stretch last season, but a lack of impact newcomers will make it tough for the Loons to escape the lower end of the West standings.

There have been stand out performers during the opening fortnight of Qatar 2022 – but who makes GOAL's group stage XI?

The World Cup group stages are over and what a wild ride it has been.

Qatar 2022 has been the tournament of shocks, with the likes of Morocco and Japan stealing the show and former powerhouses such as Germany and Belgium being sent packing.

But what players have been the stand out performers during the opening fortnight? We asked some of GOAL’s writers to come up with the World Cup group stage XI.

Using a 4-2-3-1 formation, this is what they have gone for…

Getty ImagesGK: Wojciech Szczesny (Poland)

There can’t really be anyone else, can there? Without Szczesny, Poland would certainly be on the plane home, rather than looking forward to a knockout game against France. The Juventus goalkeeper has been in sensational form so far and has saved two penalties, including one to deny Lionel Messi against Argentina. Poland may have still lost that game 2-0, but conceding one more goal during that dramatic final group stage game would have seen Mexico finish above them in the table. It was only Szczesny's heroics that saw the Polish avoid a far heavier defeat.

AdvertisementGettyRB: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)

Morocco have been one of the stories of the World Cup and the form of Hakimi has been crucial to their impressive results. The Paris Saint-Germain star started all three of his nation’s group stage games, helping them to two clean sheets as they topped Group F, finishing above Croatia and Belgium in the process. He also produced one of the assists of the tournament as he sent Youssef En-Nesyri away to score what proved to be the winner against Canada. Hakimi has been one of Europe’s stand out right-backs for some time and now he is replicating that club form on the biggest stage of all.

Getty ImagesCB: Harry Souttar (Australia)

Of all the surprises of the group stage, Australia are surely the biggest. The Socceroos arrived with plenty of enthusiasm but little expectation, but Graham Arnold’s side delivered a masterclass in determination, teamwork and concentration, ensuring European Championship semi-finalists Denmark were sent home early. The star of their team has been Souttar, whose ultra-competitive performances at centre-back are made all the more remarkable by the fact that he had had only played one competitive game in 12 months leading up the tournament, having been sidelined with a knee injury. The Stoke City man’s style is unfussy, but was crucial as Australia kept clean sheets against both Tunisia and Denmark. Whatever happens from here on, the 24-year-old can be proud of his efforts in Qatar.

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Getty ImagesCB: Harry Maguire (England)

Maguire deserves huge credit for the way he has performed so far in Qatar. He came into the tournament under intense scrutiny having lost his place in the Manchester United team following a series of major blunders. But he received the backing of England boss Gareth Southgate, who refused to listen to the calls for Maguire to be dropped, and has repaid his manager with a series of excellent performances. Maguire has helped England to two clean sheets and he was immense in the draw with the United States, while the majority of his team-mates struggled. He has also been a big threat from set pieces in the opposition’s penalty area and has been unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet at least once.

How have football stars such as Paulo Dybala, Mikel Arteta and Paolo Maldini been affected by the virus?

The coronavirus pandemic has swept the world and a number of footballers have been confirmed as having contracted it, forcing leagues everywhere to a standstill.

As well-paid athletes, elite-level footballers are ostensibly in a much better position to fight off the virus, but some have reported feeling serious pain and being scared.

There are a few commonly reported symptoms, but those who are asymptomatic can also be carriers and unknowingly spread it.

Some of the main symptoms include:

Fever Tiredness Dry cough Loss of smell & tasteAches & painsSore throat

Goal takes a look at some of the symptoms and experiences reported by footballers who contracted the coronavirus.

Getty ImagesMikel Arteta | Arsenal

Symptoms: temperature, dry cough, chest pain

Arteta explained: "In terms of symptoms, it was a normal virus for me. I had three or four days which were a little bit difficult, with a bit of a temperature and a dry cough, and some discomfort in my chest. That was it."

'That's when the fear comes' – Arteta details coronavirus experience

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCallum Hudson-Odoi | Chelsea

Symptoms: "similar to a mild cold"

Chelsea and England star Hudson-Odoi recovered from the virus after spending a week-long period in self-isolation. The winger reported symptoms "similar to a mild cold".

Hudson-Odoi reveals he has recovered from coronavirus symptoms

Getty ImagesDaniele Rugani | Juventus

Symptoms: mild fever

Rugani tested positive for the virus, but was ostensibly asymptomatic. In a message posted on his Twitter page, he said: "You will have read the news and that's why I want to reassure all those who are worrying about me, I'm fine."

His girlfriend Michela Persico told: "Daniele recorded three mild fever lines, he was at a temperature of 37.5.

"He asked to be checked and, the next day, the test was positive, but he already had no fever, nor did he have or had a cough or something else. So we didn't expect it. We don't have a clue how the infection happened."

Juventus defender Rugani tests positive for coronavirus

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GettyLuca Kilian | Paderborn

Symptoms: sore throat, fever, headache

"On March 12 I had the first of my hot flushes and a day later they were really strong. Fever and strong shivers. It was then I started being really scared for the first time," Kilian told .

The player added: "It took four days for the fever to drop, and after that I felt better every day.

"I'm a sportsman and in form, but I had to fight a lot against the virus. For the people who already have health issues, it could put their life in danger."