Matuidi mood 'positive' despite coronavirus infection

France World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi insisted Wednesday his "morale is good" despite testing positive for coronavirus.

"I am positive, I am strong, morale is good, that of my family too," the Juventus midfielder said on Instagram.

The 32-year-old's club teammate Daniele Rugani was the first top-flight footballer to be diagnosed with the virus a week ago, sending the entire team into quarantine.

And Matuidi used a play on the word 'positive' in posts on social media to describe his mood at contracting an illness which has killed over 2,500 in Italy.

"I am positive. Usually I like to think I'm positive. Someone who tries to radiate good waves around him, my family, my friends, my teammates," Matuidi said.

"Today I remain positive. I am an asymptomatic carrier of the virus, aware of the privilege of being a professional footballer and as such benefit from regular and excellent medical monitoring.

"If it weren't, I probably never would have known."

He continued: "I am positive, we will come out collectively stronger from this test, it will teach us to know each other better, to be more united, more generous, better.

"Thank you for your messages of friendship and support.

"Let's stay disciplined and united so that we can soon cuddle our children, take our parents in our arms, check our brothers and sisters and celebrate goals with our teammates.

"Thank you for your messages of friendship and support. Let us remain disciplined and united. I am positive, we will do it."

In total 13 Serie A players have officially been diagnosed with the virus including seven from Sampdoria and three at Fiorentina.

Italy has been battling the disease for nearly a month and now has over 31,000 Covid-19 cases.

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Je suis positif. Habituellement j’aime penser que je suis positif. Quelqu’un qui essaie d’irradier de bonnes ondes autour de lui, ma famille, mes amis, mes coéquipiers. Aujourd’hui je reste positif. Je suis porteur asymptomatique du virus, conscient d’avoir le privilège d’être un footballeur professionnel et de bénéficier à ce titre d’un suivi médical régulier et excellent. Si ce n’était pas le cas, je ne l’aurais sans doute jamais su. Je suis positif, je suis fort, le moral est bon, celui de ma famille aussi. Je suis positif, nous ressortirons collectivement plus forts de cette épreuve, elle va nous apprendre à mieux nous connaitre, à être plus solidaires, plus généreux, meilleurs. Je vous remercie pour vos messages d’amitié et de soutien. Restons disciplinés et unis pour pouvoir bientôt faire des câlins à nos enfants, prendre nos parents dans les bras, checker nos frères et soeurs et célébrer des buts avec nos coéquipiers. Je suis positif, nous allons le faire. Blaise ____ Sono positivo. Abitualmente amo pensare che sono positivo perché sono una persona che cerca di irradiare buone sensazioni attorno a sé, alla mia famiglia, ai miei amici ai miei compagni. Oggi resto positivo. Sono portatore asintomatico del virus, cosciente di avere il privilegio di essere un calciatore professionista e di beneficiare per questo motivo di un monitoraggio sanitario regolare e eccellente. Se non lo fossi stato, forse non avrei mai saputo di esserlo. Sono positivo, sono forte, il mio morale é alto come quello della mia famiglia. Sono positivo, usciremo collettivamente più forti da questa prova, che ci insegnerà a conoscerci meglio, a essere più solidali, più generosi, migliori. Ringrazio tutti voi per i vostri messaggi di amicizia e di sostegno. Restiamo disciplinati e uniti per poter presto tornare a fare le coccole ai nostri figli, abbracciare i nostri genitori, dare la mano ai nostri fratelli e sorelle e festeggiare i gol con i nostri compagni. Sono positivo, ce la faremo. Blaise

A post shared by Blaise Matuidi Officiel (@blaisematuidiofficiel) on Mar 18, 2020 at 5:20am PDT