Coronavirus: Three positive cases in Nimes squad

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Paris, August 20: Ligue 1 club Nimes have confirmed three positive tests for coronavirus among their playing squad.

At the start of this week, there were two suspected cases of COVID-19 at Nimes, with both players tested.

One of those came back negative but additional tests carried out among Jerome Arpinon's first-team group showed two further players – also unnamed – had returned positives.

All of the players in question are isolating at home, although it is a predicament that places Nimes' scheduled 2020-21 season opener against Brest on Sunday (August 23) in doubt.

Marseille's clash with Saint-Etienne has already been postponed after four of their players tested positive for COVID-19.

Nimes hosted Marseille in a friendly on August 9.

The French Professional Football League (LFP) distributed guidance that states when a club has more than three positive cases, postponement of matches was the most likely course of action.

Saint-Etienne's trip to Marseille is now due to be played on September 16 or 17.

Nimes finished 18th in Ligue 1 as last season was cut short by the global pandemic, also meaning they were spared the ordeal of a relegation play-off – the usual fate of a team finishing third bottom in the top flight.