Seattle Sounders General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey confirmed on Wednesday that forward Raúl Ruidíaz has tested positive for COVID-19 while away with the Peru national team for CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifying.
“Raúl Ruidíaz, it has been publicly announced that he has tested positive [for COVID-19], and so far he is asymptomatic,” Lagerwey said. “Hopefully it will remain that way. The Peruvian federation follows the same quarantine as MLS and the same rehab protocol. He’ll be in isolation in Peru for a period of time. If he comes through that period and is still asymptomatic, then he will be deemed to be no longer infectious and will be permitted to travel, at which point he would fly back to Seattle. Then our doctors have to look at him.
“If he passes all the screens on the Seattle end, then he would immediately be able to play. We would anticipate that he would be eligible, if all goes well, if all goes to plan, if he remains healthy, that he will be able to play on Oct. 27.”
The Sounders take on the Vancouver Whitecaps (in Portland, Ore.) on Tuesday, Oct. 27 (7 p.m. PT; JOEtv, Prime Video, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Ruidíaz started and played 74 minutes in Peru’s 2-2 draw with Paraguay on Oct. 8. Ruidíaz did not feature for La Blanquirroja in their 4-2 loss to Brazil on Matchday 2 on Tuesday. He has nine goals and three assists in 13 matches for the Sounders in 2020.
