Berlin (AFP)

Faced with the coronavirus, the European championships await a calendar to restart the competition. But another date is even more crucial: that of the resumption of training, between risk of injury and distortion of competition if the return to the field is done in dispersed order.

The first question that coaches ask themselves is: after such a long break, how long will players need to regain their level and above all avoid muscle accidents?

"It depends on the confinement time", explains AFP the Spanish Juanjo del Ojo, physical trainer in Monaco. "If it lasts 5-6 weeks, we would need a minimum of 3 weeks before we can return to competition with certainty and reduce the risk of injury."

Nearly two months off, "it's huge," says physical trainer Xavier Frezza, interviewed by AFP, who works with French L1 and L2 footballers: "The players have never known "That’s all their life. A pro player only has a break for three to four weeks in the summer, and many still make a few things. Two months is going to make them weird."

"Some studies establish a correlation between the number of complete sessions performed before the resumption of competition and a reduction in injuries," reveals Juanjo del Ojo.

- "High intensity matches" -

For the confined, personal discipline during the break period will play a big role. Those who have maintained themselves and avoided weight gain will return significantly better than those who have not been able to force themselves to keep in shape.

Hence initiatives such as those of Bayern Munich, which had set up from the first day of confinement compulsory collective training by video conference, to at least maintain a rhythm and team emulation. The Bavarian club, currently leading the Bundesliga, brought their players back to the field on Monday, in groups of five and respecting sanitary distances.

The risks are all the greater since the recovery will look nothing like the start of the season, where the ramp-up is gradual. Given the delay in the calendars, the clubs will have to manage weeks with two matches, and for many it will be very high intensity cleaver matches: for the title, European places, maintenance or rise.

Hence another crucial question: will the clubs which have started training first be given an undue advantage over those which have been confined for longer?

The Germans in particular are asking themselves this question very seriously, to the point that the League (DFL) had sent a circular to all its clubs in March asking them not to resume collective training before April 5, whatever the conditions of confinement.

- "Ensuring equal opportunities" -

For the time being, health regulations from one region to another are too disparate to harmonize practices.

But, believes for example the sporting director of Fortuna Düsseldorf, Thomas Röttgermann, "the decision to authorize or not the collective training should obligatorily be taken at the national level, to ensure the equality of chances at the time of the resumption of the competition ".

"One week apart, when we don't even have three weeks of preparation, it's true that physically and technically it can make quite a difference," confirms physical trainer Xavier Frezza.

Those who, like in Leipzig, have never been homebound and have been able to train on the lawn, even without physical contact, will clearly be one step ahead. "My players haven't lost too much substance," says RB coach Julian Nagelsmann, "they'll be back in shape in a week and a half or two."

This will not be the case for everyone. The results of the matches, in the event of premature recovery, may well hold some surprises for fans and bettors!

© 2020 AFP