Milan Škriniar tests positive for Covid-19 as Slovakia's misfortunes escalate

The setback came just hours after midfield dynamo Stanislav Lobotka was ruled out of Thursday's Euro 2020 play-off

Slovakia's Milan Skriniar

Slovakia’s escalating misfortunate is playing right into the hands of Ireland after main defender Milan Škriniar returned a positive Covid-19 test tonight.

The latest setback for manager Pavel Hapal ahead of tomorrow’s Euro play-off came just hours after midfield dynamo Stanislav Lobotka was ruled out of tomorrow's Euro play-off.

His club Napoli refused to allow the 25-year-old to leave Italy following two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the squad last weekend.

Inter Milan defender Škriniar, also 25, had reported for international duty only for this week’s testing to diagnose him with coronavirus. Hapal has referenced at his earlier press conference an inconclusive test result for an unnamed player but it has transpired to be one of his mainstays.

The centre-back is a long-term target for Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho and his absence from Slovakia’s defence has to be good news for Ireland. Regular left-back Dávid Hancko’s was already unavailable due to injury, while central-defensive mainstay Denis Vavro hasn’t kicked a ball for Lazio this season.

Unlike Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, who is able to name his first-choice starting XI for the semi-final, Hapal will be missing at least three regulars.

Inter announced the news about Škriniar tonight, naming another Covid-19 victim which also has consequences for Ireland.

Alessandro Bastoni’s positive result rules him out of Italy’s Under-21 double-header against Iceland on Friday and Ireland on Tuesday in Pisa.

That another member of the Italian squad, Atalanta substitute goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, has also contracted the virus sent the whole squad and staff into isolation.

“The training session scheduled for today has been cancelled and the team has been in isolation since last night, awaiting the decisions of the health authorities,” the Italian football federation (FIGC) said.

Ireland, now managed by Stephen Kenny’s assistant at Under-21 level Jim Crawford, currently lead Group 1 by three points heading into Tuesday’s showdown. It remains to be seen what influence the outbreak in the Italian squad will have on the fixture.