Five Valencia players and staff including Argentina defender Ezequiel Garay have tested positive for coronavirus, the club said on Sunday.

Garay had revealed his positive test early on Sunday making him the first La Liga player to announce a positive test for the virus.

“It is clear I have started 2020 with bad luck,” Garay, 33, wrote on Instagram.

“I am very well and must obey health authorities and stay isolated.”

A Valencia statement said the affected players and staff were “in their homes in good health and under isolation measures”.

“We are confident that with solidarity, responsibility and good spirits we will beat this pandemic,” the club added.

On Thursday, La Liga suspended the league after the entire Real Madrid squad went into quarantine after a member of their basketball team – who used the same training facilities as the football team – tested positive.

Spain is grappling with Europe’s second-worst case of the pandemic after Italy and is set to follow the Italians in declaring a national lockdown on Monday.

Ten players in Italy’s Serie A have tested positive for the virus, including Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, Sampdoria forward Manolo Gabbiadini and on-loan Wolves forward Patrick Cutrone.