Ødegaard to return to Madrid, will be given green light to train with squad after negative PCR test

Martin Ødegaard has been living in limbo for the last five days. Since traveling to Oslo to report for international duty, the Real Madrid playmaker has had to sit tight in his hotel room awaiting news. On Thursday, the friendly match between Israel and Norway was cancelled after an Israeli player tested positive for COVID-19. Shortly thereafter, Omar Elabdellaoui, a member of the Norwegian national team squad, tested positive for COVID-19. The Norwegian government then imposed a mandatory 10 day quarantine for all of the national team players thus forcing the postponement of their UEFA Nations League matches vs Romania and Austria.

The 10 day quarantine would have forced Ødegaard to miss the both the Villarreal and Inter Milan games for Real Madrid upon return from international duty. With Casemiro still COVID-positive and Fede Valverde out for at least a month, Martin Ødegaard’s presence will be crucial for the upcoming run of games. To miss two of the biggest games of the season thus far would be a major blow to Zidane, Madrid, and Ødegaard himself.

In a new report from Cadena Ser, later confirmed by AS and Arancha Rodriguez, Ødegaard will be allowed to return to Madrid and will complete a PCR test upon arrival. If negative, he will be cleared to return to training with the Real Madrid squad and would be available for the Villarreal game at the weekend. Despite all of the Norwegian squad, aside from Elabdellaoui, already testing negative twice for COVID, the Norwegian government still recommended a 10 day quarantine. As the players travel back to their countries of residence, those countries will have the final say on the protocol to be followed moving forward. If Ødegaard tests negative once again while in Spain, then he will be given the green light to return to Madrid and return to training.