The Argentine striker had hosted a team meeting on Monday to kick start preparations for the clash against Atletico Madrid.
La Liga side Valencia have said more than a third of their playing and backroom staff have tested positive for the coronavirus but that all cases were currently asymptomatic.
Barcelona suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by Granada on Thursday, conceding two second-half goals to blow the chance of moving top of La Liga.
'It wasn't easy, but I called him last night (Sunday) and we had a difficult and tough conversation. I feel bad as he's a player who has always been at the top level and has a future with the national team.'
Captain Casemiro said Brazil fully deserved the three points.
Deepika managed to stay in the top 10 in the qualification round with a total score of 663.
India hockey captain Manpreet Singh considers the recent success against reigning Olympic champions Argentina a big confidence-booster, but insists that the team still needs to address some grey areas as it pursues a podium finish at the Summer Games in Tokyo later this year.
Spain are still favourites to finish top of Group E above Sweden, Poland and Slovakia but, after struggling to break down conservative sides such as Georgia and Greece in March, they know coming first will not be a procession.
Colombia head to Copa semis after penalties win over Uruguay
Spurs striker Bergwijn is major casualty as Netherlands trim squad
Spain and Portugal played out an entertaining 0-0 draw on Friday as both sides prepared for this month's European Championship.
Lionel Messi became Barca's record appearance maker in the competition with 76 Copa matches.
Juventus substitute Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a stoppage-time winner by VAR as Udinese came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw in their thrilling Serie A season opener on Sunday.
Barcelona have emerged as favourites to be crowned champions after one defeat in their last 22 Liga games.
Valencia, who lifted the trophy on their last appearance in the showpiece match in 2008, will meet 30-times winners Barca in the final on May 25 at Betis' Benito Villamarin stadium.
Lionel Messi became the all-time top scorer for a single soccer club on Tuesday after scoring his 644th goal for Barcelona during their La Liga match against Real Valladolid, surpassing Pele's record goal haul for Brazilian side Santos.
Brazil soccer great Pele paid tribute to Lionel Messi for equalling his goal-scoring record for a single club after the Argentine forward netted his 643rd goal for Barcelona in Saturday's 2-2 home draw with Valencia.
Pele scored 643 goals in 19 seasons for Brazilian side Santos.
Kevin Gameiro grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser for Valencia after Denis Cheryshev had reduced the deficit with 20 minutes remaining, leaving the tie in the balance heading into the second leg at the Mestalla stadium on February 28.
Kenya's Kibiwott Kandie smashed the half marathon world record by 29 seconds on Sunday, becoming the first person to break 58 minutes at the Valencia Half Marathon.
Barcelona twice threw away the lead to draw 3-3 at Levante on Tuesday in a potentially fatal blow to their chances of winning the La Liga title.
Valencia trailed 2-1 from the away leg and despite a late midweek kick off time supporters still flocked to the Mestalla stadium hoping to see their embattled team turn the tie around.
The European champions, who were humbled 3-0 by tiny Eibar last week, took a fortuitous lead when Valencia midfielder Daniel Wass nodded a Dani Carvajal cross into his own net in the eighth minute after former Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista had failed to clear the danger.
Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro and forward Eden Hazard have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their La Liga clash at Valencia, the Spanish champions said.
Amsterdam soccer club Ajax has had 11 players tested positive for COVID-19 a day before their Champions League tie against Danish side FC Midtjylland on Tuesday, RTL Nieuws reported on Monday.
Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure scored an extra-time winner as they edged Rotherham United 2-1 in an absorbing FA Cup
United have struggled this season, collecting 10 points from their opening seven Premier League matches and being dumped out of the League Cup by second-tier Derby County.
A summary of Saturday's football action across the world.
A summary of Sunday's action in Serie A and La Liga.
Images from La Liga matches played on Saturday.
Struggling Rayo win at Valladolid after late penalty save
UEFA had banned City from European competition for two years after ruling they had breached Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations but City won an appeal last month to have that verdict and sanction overturned.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League debut for Juventus lasted only 29 minutes as he was red-carded but the Italians began their Group H campaign impressively with a 2-0 victory at Valencia on Wednesday. Penalties either side of halftime by Miralem Pjanic sealed the points for the visitors as Valencia's return to European competition after a two-year absence fell flat.
Lionel Messi scored a 50th freekick goal for Barcelona as he led his side to a quick-fire comeback to win 3-2 at Valencia on Sunday and keep the pressure on La Liga title rivals Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
The defender later became the club's assistant coach before embarking on an eventful career as a head coach, managing Dutch sides Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord plus Premier League sides Southampton and Everton and La Liga's Valencia.
Former Real youth player Joselu pulled a goal back for Alaves in the 59th minute, powering in a header from a free kick, but Benzema rounded off the victory for second-placed Real with an exquisite solo run and goal in the 70th minute.
The victory saw Spain finish top of League A4 with 11 points after six games, joining France in the final four tournament, which will take place in October 2021.
Dutchman Ronald Koeman has signed a two-year-deal with Barcelona.
Images from Saturday's La Liga action.
It was a tale of two Valencias as Ecuador beat Honduras 2-1 in the World Cup on Friday.
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