Omicron variant: 13 Belenenses players and staff test positive for new variant



Belenenses was behind 0-7 when the match against Benfica was abandoned.

Every case currently in the country has been accounted for by the 13 players at Belenenses who tested positive for the Covid variant Omicron.

The Belenenses team was reduced to six players due to injuries and the match was called off at the half.

All 13 players have the Omicron variant, which was detected in South Africa last week.

Cafu Phete, who tested positive, returned from South Africa having played for his country during the international break.

The new variant of Covid is worrying.

The Belenenses club has 44 players and staff who are self-isolating, and most of them were not affected by the disease.

Belenenses had to use Joao Monteiro in defence because of the absences.

Both Belenenses and Benfica criticized the league for not calling off the game.

The league said it did not receive a formal request to delay the match, but is investigating if the match complied with health rules.

The health authorities said it wasn't their responsibility to delay the game.