COVID-19 wreaks havoc on France, Ukraine and Portugal national teams

French players during a training session ahead the Nations League match between France and Croatia, Paris, France, September 7, 2020. /VCG

Both world champions France and European champions Portugal reported new COVID-19 cases ahead of their international fixtures, while Ukraine were dealt a huge blow after eight players withdrew from the squad due to a surge in coronavirus infections.

Lyon right-back Leo Dubois was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after testing positive following Tuesday evening's training session, according to the French football federation.

The 26-year-old was immediately sent home and placed in quarantine with Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy being temporarily drafted in to fill the gap.

France head coach Didier Deschamps wearing face mask arrives at a press conference to unveil his squad at the French Football Federation headquarters, Paris, France, October 1, 2020. /VCG

The side of Didier Deschamps are set to play against Ukraine on Wednesday but the warm-up match has been thrown into chaos after three Ukrainian goalkeepers tested positive for coronavirus.

Shakhtar Donetsk's Andriy Pyatov was the first to come down with COVID-19 earlier in the week. Then the Ukrainian Association of Football (FFU) announced on Tuesday that Real Madrid's youngster Andriy Lunin and FC Oleksandriya's veteran Yuriy Pankiv also contracted the virus.

Dynamo Kiev's 26-year-old Georguiy Buschan will be the only fit goalie for Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko, whose task of preparing for the upcoming UEFA Nations League was further complicated by the withdrawal of five other Shakhtar Donetsk players due to coronavirus concerns.

Ukraine's head coach Andriy Shevchenko gives a press conference at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, France, October 6, 2020. /VCG

"The situation is difficult. Let's see what the organizers say," FFU spokesman Oleksandr Glyvynsky told reporters when asked whether their match against France should be canceled.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese football federation confirmed that their defender Jose Fonte will miss Wednesday's friendly with Spain after testing positive for COVID-19.

The 36-year-old Lille star, who moved to Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang in a shocking move in 2018, will be replaced by Granada's Domingos Dauarte, according to their coach Fernando Santos.

Dalian Yifang's Jose Fonte (R) in action during their Chinese Super League clash with Beijing Guoan, Dalian, China, March 16, 2020. /VCG

In Switzerland, the Swiss football federation (SFV) announced that Xherdan Shaqiri, who traveled to St. Gallen ahead of their team's friendly with Croatia on Wednesday, has contracted the coronavirus.

He became the third Liverpool player to test positive for the virus in a week, following Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara and Senegalese striker Sadio Mane.

It remains unclear if Switzerland players who have been in contact with Shaqiri will be quarantined, with SFV only revealing that they will comply with COVID-19 rules imposed by health authorities.