At a time when FC Barcelona seemed to overcome the COVID wave that took the overwhelming majority of EuroLeague teams by storm, Nikola Mirotic tested positive.
Following the suspension of Barca's ACB game against Valencia Basket due to several COVID cases detected in the club's ranks, comes the news of the Montenegrin forward having contracted the virus.
Per the official announcement, at first, the player underwent an antigen test on Friday night, one day after the Barcelona-Anadolu Efes game. He also did a PCR test on Saturday which confirmed the initial result.
Mirotic is in good health and is isolated at home, the announcement concludes.
The experienced forward, a clear front-runner for the 2022 EuroLeague MVP award, becomes the ninth player of Barca to test positive in the last three weeks after Nigel Hayes-Davis, Kyle Kuric, Pierre Oriola, Nick Calathes, Nicolas Laprovittola, Brandon Davies, Sergi Martínez and Dante Exum.
Head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius has also gone through the process. Only five first-team players have not been infected this season (Corey Higgins, Rokas Jokubaitis, Sertac Sanli, Rolands Smits and Alex Abrines).
Mirotic will most definitely miss Barcelona's road game in Kazan next Thursday and probably the ACB derby in Madrid against Real next Sunday.
FC Barcelona
AX Armani Exchange Milan
Anadolu Efes Istanbul
UNIKS Kazan
