The reason why Atletico Madrid still hope Luis Suarez can play against Barcelona

Atletico Madrid remain hopeful that striker Luis Suarez can be available to take on his former club Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday, despite testing positive for Covid-19.

The striker is one of three people in the Uruguay camp to test positive for the virus alongside teammate Rodrigo Munoz and team attendant Matias Faral.

However, Marca now outline that Atleti are hopeful – although they are not optimistic – this may have been a false positive, and the striker could yet deliver a negative test result today which would clear him to play.

The news had come as a massive blow to Atleti and to the striker on a personal basis, with the positive test coming just five days before he was due to take on his former club.

A reaction from El Mundo Deportivo suggests that it will be impossible for the 33-year-old to participate in that clash at the Wanda Metropolitano, although this may yet be overturned.

Suarez has been in fine form for Diego Simeone’s side in the early stages of the campaign – netting five goals in his opening six appearances for the team in La Liga.

The veteran striker has scored seven goals in his last nine matches for club and country, including in Atleti’s most recent outing – a 4-0 win over Cadiz.

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La Liga - Club News