Coronavirus kills Man City manager Guardiola's mother

ANKARA

The mother of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola died on Monday due to the novel coronavirus.

"The Manchester City family are devastated to report the death today of Pep's mother Dolors Sala Carrio in Manresa, Barcelona after contracting Corona Virus. She was 82-years-old," Man City said on Twitter.

"Everyone associated with the club sends their most heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his family and all their friends," the English Premier League club added.

Separately, Real Madrid also offered their condolences to Guardiola's family on social media.

"We are deeply saddened to learn the passing of Pep Guardiola's mother Dolors Sala Carrio. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this most difficult time," a football club from Turkey, Galatasaray said on social media.

German giants Bayern Munich also offered their condolences to Guardiola on Twitter, saying: "Dearest Pep, everyone at FC Bayern is mourning with you and your family!"

Guardiola, 49, was an important player in Spanish football, playing for Real Madrid's bitter rivals Barcelona from 1991 to 2001.

In 2008, Barcelona appointed him as the senior team's head coach, a post in which he served until 2012.

During his four years in Barcelona, Guardiola won Europe's top-tier UEFA Champions League titles in 2009 and 2011.

Before Manchester City, he managed Bayern Munich.

As of Monday, in total, 13,055 people have died of coronavirus in Spain so far and 135,032 cases have been confirmed, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

Nearly 60,000 people have been hospitalized and around 7,000 people have been treated in intensive care units.

Spain has the second most confirmed cases in the world after the U.S. Only Italy has so far registered more deaths.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 183 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections topped 1.28 million, with over 70,500 deaths and more than 270,300 recoveries.