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Chelsea Manager Frank Lampard during their Champions League clash with Rennes at Stamford Bridge, London, England, November 4, 2020. /CFP
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard could finally breathe a sigh of relief. His rattled team took full advantage of several VAR decisions that went in their favor by swatting aside French outfit Rennes in the Champions League.
The Blues are top of the group with seven points and in a strong position to advance into the knockout stage. Now Lampard's only concern is the absence of Kai Havertz.
The Germany star, who joined Chelsea from Leverkusen in the summer for 71 million British pounds ($92 million), was forced to be left out of the squad and missed the crucial tie on Wednesday night after testing positive for COVID-19. Before the virus setback, he had managed four goals and three assists in his first 10 appearances for the Blues.
Havertz's diagnosis came just hours before England entered a four-week lockdown, during which elite sport has been given the green light to continue. The 21-year-old will also miss Chelsea's next game against Sheffield United, which is certain to cause further headaches for Lampard's selection on Saturday.
Chelsea's Kai Havertz was left out of their Champions League squad for the match against Rennes after testing positive for COVID-19. /CFP
Meanwhile, Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi lamented that his side had only 13 players available for their Champions League campaign because several members of their squad had tested positive for COVID-19.
"We played the last two Champions League away games with 13 players; this morning (defender) Luiz Felipe was also having trouble walking," he fumed. "It's frustrating to be in these conditions, it's very difficult and we hope to get some players back."
Lazio didn't reveal the identity of the players who contracted the virus, but based on their team sheet against Zenit St. Petersburg on Wednesday, top scorer Ciro Immobile, midfielder Lucas Leiva and goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha were conspicuous by their absence.
Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi reacts during their Champions League clash with Zenit at Gazprom Arena, Saint Petersburg, Russia, November 4, 2020. /CFP
In front of some 17,000 fans in Russia, the depleted Lazio miraculously clinched a hard-earned 1-1 draw thanks to Felipe Caicedo's late equalizer and Inzaghi was quite pleased with the result. "Given the current circumstances, it is difficult to ask for more," he observed.
In Croatia, coronavirus also wreaked havoc on football as Dinamo Zagreb announced that nine players and several coaches have tested positive ahead of their Europa League clash with Austrian side Wolfsberger AC on Thursday.
"We conducted an official test and in addition to four players who had earlier contracted the COVID-19 virus, another five tested positive," the Croatian champions said in a statement.
Dinamo Zagreb coach Zoran Mamic has gone into self-isolation following his positive COVID-19 test. /CFP
"Some coaching staff members also tested positive, including head coach Zoran Mamic. We cannot release the players' names because we don't have their consent to do so and they are entitled to withhold that information under the privacy act," it added.
The latest outbreak has dealt a huge blow to Dinamo, who only sit third in the group and face a difficult task to qualify for the next round. But Mamic, who is self-isolating and will oversee the game against Wolfsberger at home, still stayed positive and insisted they won't give up.
"I have asked our captain Arijan Ademi to galvanize the players in the dressing room to perform to the best of their ability," he declared. "I am confident we can get a result."
