Pjanic arrival at Barca delayed due to COVID-19 positive test

Barcelona's latest signing Miralem Pjanic will be unable to join the team for pre-season for at least two weeks after the midfielder returned positive for the novel coronavirus, the Catalan club said on Sunday.

Barca's statement said Pjanic, 30, had been tested on Saturday after feeling unwell and was isolating at home but in good health. The club added he would not be able to travel for a period of 15 days.

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The Bosnia midfielder, who is yet to be officially presented as a Barca player, joined the club from Juventus in June for 60 million euros ($70.75 million) in a move which saw Arthur Melo going the other way for $72 million.

Barca's first team players have been on holiday since losing 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals nine days ago but resume training on August 31.

Pjanic won't be able to begin training until September 7, less than a week before the new season starts.

Barca, however, will not start its La Liga campaign until the third week of the season due to its participation in the final phase of the Champions League.