Wolves boss faces Leeds United waiting game over Portuguese quintet's Covid test results

Wolves had five players away during the October international break with Portugal who saw star man Cristiano Ronaldo test positive for coronavirus.

The Portuguese Football Federation reported on Tuesday that Ronaldo was "doing well, without symptoms, and in isolation" and said that no further positive tests had been reported in the squad.

Wolves had a total of 16 players away on international duty and the club were able to carry out their own tests on Thursday and train normally as a group after getting the results.

Yet the Molineux outfit also have to wait for the results of the Premier League tests before knowing exactly who can feature against the Whites and Santo admits his preparations for the Leeds clash could yet be heavily disrupted just one day before Monday night's clash at Elland Road.

Goalkeeper Rui Patricio, full-back Nelson Semedo, midfielders Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho and also forward Daniel Podence were all away with Portugal on international duty.

"We've been tested. We have a new system of testing now that allows us not to make any mistakes when coming back from international games," said the Wolves boss.

"Let's wait to find out the results, but for now everybody is healthy.

"It will probably be Sunday morning that we have the final results, so you can see how it affects the decisions and how you prepare for a game.

"You prepare and put things in place and work on things but if a (positive) result comes back then you have to take the player out.

"Other teams have had players away on international duty too.

"We are fortunate in that we have more time because we play on Monday but others have to do testing and play on Sunday or even Saturday.

"We worry about everybody involved in international teams because everybody is in a changed environment, and sometimes when we are out of our natural environments we make mistakes.

"It is about not getting players infected.

"There was a case with Portugal, but it could be any team. It is worrying for everyone.

"I am confident the national team of Portugal have taken all the necessary procedures to ensure that nobody has contracted it, but with infection rates all over the world this type of thing will happen over and over again."

Whatever happens with the coronavirus test results, Santo is set to be boosted by the return of 31-year-old Brazilian Fernando Marcal from a calf problem.

Nuno added: "We have players that came from national teams with problems that we have to deal with, assess and manage.

“Fortunately, players that were here, like Marcal, are starting with the team already, the first sessions with the team.

“It’s about trying to balance everybody so that we can have a full squad in these moments.”

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Thank you Laura Collins