Inter Miami players test negative for COVID-19 in Orlando, cleared for MLS tournament
Inter Miami fans can breathe a sigh of relief. All the players and staff who traveled to Orlando on Wednesday for the MLS is Back Tournament tested negative for COVID-19 upon arrival and were cleared to check into the hotel and begin training, a team official confirmed.
The players have been tested every other day for the past month and were tested again upon arriving in Orlando on Wednesday afternoon. They were quarantined until their test results were released. Each of the 26 teams is staying on its own floor at the Swan and Dolphin Resort, which is where the entire league is being sequestered in a bubble. Players are staying in single rooms.
The World Cup-style tournament at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports begins July 8 with Inter Miami vs. Orlando City at 8 p.m. The game will be shown on ESPN. Miami’s other two group-stage games are July 14 vs. Chicago Fire (9 a.m., ESPN) and July 19 vs. Philadelphia Union (10:30 p.m., FS1).
The top 16 teams advance to a knockout round, which culminates with the final on Aug. 11. All matches are being played without spectators.
“Everyone is excited to play again because we haven’t played in months,” captain and goalkeeper Luis Robles said as the team departed its Fort Lauderdale training complex. “Personally, I am ready to get back on the field and get points for Inter Miami.”
As COVID-19 cases surge in Florida and around the country, Robles stressed that he and his teammates are taking the health protocols in Lake Buena Vista very seriously.
“The guys understand why the protocols are there, and it’s really important that we abide by them, observe them at all times, wear our masks and keep socially distant. This isn’t just about one person. It’s about the entire community. We have to be safe.”
MLS has conducted more than 400 on-site coronavirus tests since teams started arriving last week. The league announced Wednesday that six players had tested positive, all from FC Dallas, and The Athletic reported Wednesday night that three additional Dallas players and a coach tested positive. FC Dallas said it is isolating all the affected players and its team will remain quarantined in the hotel until further testing.
Inter Miami coach Diego Alonso said his team is excited to resume its inaugural season, which was halted after two road losses.
“We are very happy to be back doing what we love,” he said. “I wish we could play in front of our fans, but we hope through the TV they can be proud of us. We will give our heart and soul.”
Leandro González Pirez deal finalized
The team officially announced the signing of Argentine center back Leandro González
Pirez, the former Atlanta United star. He traveled with the team to Orlando but will not be eligible to play until after the tournament.
“Leandro is a stalwart defender that has proven to not only be a great leader on and off the pitch, but he’s also determined to succeed and win championships,” said Paul McDonough, Inter Miami’s chief operating officer and sporting director. “He joins us in great form and is ready to contribute.”
González Pirez, 28, became one of league’s most dominant defenders as he starred in Atlanta United FC’s backline between 2017 and 2019. He helped lead Atlanta to the 2018 MLS Cup title, the 2019 U.S. Open Cup and the 2019 Campeones Cup. He was a 2019 MLS All-Star.
He previously played 120 games for Argentine teams River Plate, Tigre, Arsenal de Sarandi and Estudiantes de La Plata, Belgium’s KAA Gent and spent the past six months with Club Tijuana in Mexico.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 2:20 PM.