Barcelona have been more fortunate with coronavirus this season, or maybe they have been more careful. While Ronald Koeman has only had Sergio Roberto out due to COVID-19, Real Madrid have had eleven absenties and Atletico nine.
Official statement: a player from the first team has tested positive for coronavirus. This is the start to a medical report that has been a recurring theme in the 2021/21 season - but who has been most affected by the virus amongst those fighting for the La Liga title? Real Madrid are in first followed by Atletico, with Barcelona in third with significantly lower numbers.
Koeman's side have only had to deal with Sergi Roberto's absence due to the virus this season. The versatile defender tested positive at the beginning of December 2020 and no other player has suffered from the same experience since then. Even the controversional gathering in Messi's house failed to caused an outbreak in the squad.
For Zinedine Zidane this campaign has been extremely difficult, both for the virus as well as the injuries that have ravaged his squad. Hazard, Mendy... a fair few players have passed through the Madrid medical room, although the virus too has left numerous players out of the squad list at one time another. This includes: Mariano, Lunin, Militao, Casemiro, Hazard, Jovic, Nacho, Ramos, Varane, Valverde and Kroos.
Atletico, who currently look the favourites to become La Liga champions, have suffered from the absences of Giménez, Luis Suárez, Torreira, Grbic, Carrasco, Hermoso, Joao Félix, Ousmane Dembélé and Héctor Herrera. Their total count is nine, compared to Madrid's eleven and just the one in Barcelona.