Ferjani Sassi clears up Zamalek’s coronavirus claims

Tunisia international Ferjani Sassi has dismissed news he has tested positive for Covid-19.

His Egyptian Premier League side announced on Sunday that the 28-year-old midfielder had contracted the virus while on international duty, with president Mortada Mansour describing it as ‘bad luck’.

However, the former Metz star quashed the information which insisted he had to put himself in isolation after direct contact with Covid-19.

“Clarification: Respecting the health protocol in place in my country, I decided on my own to put myself in self-quarantine for five days after I had direct contact with Covid-19. Everything about my health is just a rumour,” he tweeted.

Sassi was missing in action as the Carthage Eagles silenced Sudan 3-0 inside Stade Olympique de Rades with Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Ali Maaloul and Anis Ben Slimane caging Hubert Velud's Falcons of Jediane.

The midfielder is expected to be absent from Tunisia’s squad that will take on Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles on Tuesday evening in Austria.

Five-time African champions Zamalek would be hoping their prized asset is in the right frame of mind ahead of this month’s Caf Champions League semi-final games against archrivals Raja Casablanca.

The winners over two legs will lock horns with either reigning Egyptian kings Al Ahly or Wydad Casablanca in the grand final billed for Douala’s Japoma Stadium in Cameroon.

Sassi began his professional career at CS Sfaxien before moving to Metz five years later. After one season with the Maroons where he scored one goal in 39 appearances, he returned home to feature for Esperance.

After a short stint at Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr, he teamed up with Zamalek where he won the Caf Confederation Cup, Egyptian Cup, Egyptian Super Cup and the 2020 Caf Super Cup.

On the international scene, he played his first international game with the senior national team on June 8, 2013 as the North Africans played to a 2-2 draw with Sierra Leone.

He was part of the Carthage Eagles squad for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia – scoring a penalty as they held England to a 1-1 draw at the Volgograd Arena.