Gabbiadini: “I’m well, let’s help the hospitals in need”

“I’m well, I’ve already started training again at home and have recovered. My family is well: my wife and kids are fine, which is the most important thing.” Manolo Gabbiadini told Sky Sport in Italy all about his rather unusual March, in which he contracted COVID-19 and spent the quarantine period with wife Martina and children Tommaso and Nicolo. “The illness wasn’t too bad for me luckily. In terms of symptoms, I had a temperature for a day and a bad cough for five or six days. I stayed at home the whole time. My doctor would call me to see how I was and everything was under control.”

It wasn’t just the club and the fans that supported the striker after he announced that he had tested positive for the virus: “I received so many messages, maybe because I was the second Serie A player to be struck down by it. On WhatsApp alone, I received over 300 messages and it took me a week to reply to everyone. I was moved by all of them, but in particular those from former coaches who I don’t get to speak to often. That made me happy.”

The worst is certainly behind the 28-year-old: “I’ve now tested negative, but have to wait another 24 hours, as is common practice, to have the second swab and be sure that I’m still negative. My strength came back after the first two weeks when I didn’t feel that well. I’ve been training regularly for two weeks now. Every evening, the coaches send us a training programme for the following day.”

While physical fitness is important, at this stage the important matches are being played out at hospitals. “This tragedy has deeply affected me,” stated Manolo, who posted a powerful message about his hometown Bergamo on social media earlier on Sunday. “Those of us who have a big reach must help out the people who are suffering. As a team, we’ve done our bit to help the San Martino Hospital in Genoa and I encourage all Italians to help the organisations that need it.”