The strange case of a covid-torn Belenenses: Benfica allied with Omicron variant brought from South Africa
Reading Time: 1min | Tue. 30.11.21. | 12:25
As many as thirteen players of the Portuguese side have tested positive for the new Covid19 variant - the only people affected with it in the entire country
If you're a regular at Mozzart Sport Kenya website, you've surely read that bizarre story of Belenenses, a covid-torn Portuguese side that faced giants Benfica with only nine men on the pitch, including two keepers and without a player older than 24.
The match was abandoned after 48 minutes since the underdogs were left with just six players at the moment when they were trailing 7-0.
However, further news about the strange Belenenses' case sound even more obscene. Thirteen of their players have tested positive for the new Covid 19 variant Omicron - accounting for every case currently in the country.
Defender Cafu Phete, one of those to have tested positive, recently returned from South Africa, having played for his country during the international break. The first cases of the new - Omicron - coronavirus variant were detected precisely in South Africa last week.
A Belenenses club spokesperson told Reuters that 44 players and staff are self-isolating while most infected were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms.
Both Benfica and Belenenses criticised the league and the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) for not calling the game off.
