
Despite rising COVID-19 cases in Florida and concerns about player safety inside the MLS is Back Tournament quarantine bubble, Orlando City captain Nani said the team is feeling safe in the days leading up to the competition opener against Inter Miami.
“To be honest, I feel safe here since I arrived here in the hotel,” Nani told reporters during a Zoom conference call on Monday. “I see all the conditions. The way they manage everything for the players to be safe, I agree with. I’ve seen all the players here, all the teams, they look happy, they look comfortable with all these protocols.”
“Obviously, there were some stories about some players who got the virus, but I think these players came already with the virus to the hotel,” added Nani.
Orlando will kick off Group A action against Miami on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney.
Monday’s video conference with the Portuguese attacker was followed with FC Dallas withdrawing from Major League Soccer’s return-to-play tournament.
Despite that, the second-year Orlando City player said he feels optimistic about the safety protocols inside the player bubble.
“The ones who are already here, they’ve been managed very well in all this situation,” said Nani. “I’m positive about the tournament, about the bubble here in Disney, and I hope we continue like that until the end of this tournament because we’re already here. We want to make this tournament, we want to make well, and I want everyone to be safe. We want to go back home safe and happy.”
—-
For more soccer news, follow the Orlando Soccer Journal on Twitter: @OSJSoccer