La Liga have announced clubs are to go back to training this week, with a plan to resume the football season next month so it is concluded this summer.
When the Spanish top-tier season was postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19, Barcelona held a two-point advantage over Real Madrid at the summit of the table.
A league statement has outlined the plans for football to return.
“LaLiga clubs return to training this week following the approval by the Ministry of Health of the return to sports training.
“In accordance with the Return to Training Protocol that LaLiga has developed with medical experts, individual training of professional players from LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank (Spain’s second tier) is starting, once clubs have carried out medical tests.”
Official statement.#LaLigaSantander and #LaLigaSmartBank clubs to return to training this week.
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) May 4, 2020
The President of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, has said this latest move provides optimism.
"This crisis has had a profound impact on all of us. The return of football is a sign that society is progressing towards the new normal. It will also bring back an element of life that people in Spain and around the world know and love.
"People’s health is paramount, so we have a comprehensive protocol to safeguard the health of everyone involved as we work to restart LaLiga. Circumstances are unprecedented, but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our 19/20 season this summer.”
Spain has suffered considerably as a result of the coronavirus, with almost 250,000 cases and over 25,000 deaths to date. The country has now begun a four-phase plan towards re-opening, with LaLiga confirming all decisions will be made in tandem with government protocol.
A chinese fan with a anti coronavirus mask during the La Liga match, date 27, between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou Stadium on March 7, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by pressinphoto/Sipa USA)"This return to training has been planned by LaLiga with measures that have been agreed with the relevant sports and health authorities in order to guarantee as much safety as possible for the health of all those involved.
"These measures cover a period of approximately four weeks with different phases that, in any case, will be subject to the de-escalation process established by the government.
"Thus, together with the medical tests carried out by clubs, a staggered return to training has been implemented that will start with players training alone and end with group activities prior to the return to competition, scheduled for June.
"Professional footballers returning to work will go hand in hand with the recovery of a very significant economic sector that accounts for 1.37% of Spain’s GDP and creates 185,000 jobs. This is at a time when the country’s economic situation is now the main concern, precipitated by the health crisis."
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