KYLIAN MBAPPE has been ruled out of France’s Nations League game against World Cup runner-up Croatia today after testing positive for COVID-19, national team management said Monday.

To date, seven PSG players confirmed positive virus tests, including Mbappe’s striking partner Neymar.

It represents a major setback for PSG, which is due to start its title defense at Racing Lens on Thursday.

“He was set aside from the group after receiving the results at the end of training before returning to his home in the evening,” French team management said.

“Like the rest of the squad, Mbappe had undergone a test prior to meeting up. The result was negative like the one on Wednesday” requested by UEFA ahead of the Sweden fixture in Solna on Saturday, management said.

Mbappe scored the winner for the world champions in a 1-0 victory over Sweden in their opening Nations League encounter.

However, he was expected to be rested for the game against Croatia.

The Lens game was initially due to go ahead Aug. 29, but was controversially postponed to give the PSG squad a break after their run to the Champions League final in Lisbon on Aug. 23, in which the side lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

Instead of playing the game, PSG players were granted time off but the club has now been left to deal with a cluster of coronavirus cases, which raise questions about why the French league decided to postpone PSG’s match in Lens, only for so many of their players to travel abroad on holiday during a pandemic.

Mbappe could also sit out Sunday’s clash with bitter rival Marseille.

According to the league’s health protocols, a player who tests positive must self-isolate for eight days.

The French league (LFP) recently loosened its coronavirus protocols in the top two divisions to allow clubs to play even if 10 players have tested positive.

The LFP said it had taken the decision “in conjunction with the public authorities” and in response to “requests from clubs.”

Up to now, matches could be postponed after four cases at a club over eight consecutive days.

Under the new protocol, the LFP said, a club can fulfil fixtures if 20 of the 30 players registered for league matches, including at least one goalkeeper, test negative.

Mbappe is the fourth player to be withdrawn from the France squad following a positive COVID-19 test.

Paul Pogba was omitted just before coach Didier Deschamps revealed his 23-man squad last month, with Houssem Aouar forced out a few days later.

Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, who originally tested positive Aug. 16 with Marseille, also left camp following two further positive tests likely due to “residual” traces of the virus.

(SD-Agencies)