Madrid (AFP)
LaLiga plans to "return to competition in June" as training for Spanish championship teams resumes this week, the body that manages professional football in Spain announced on Monday via press release.
"The return to training was staggered between individual training and group training, until the competition resumed in June," LaLiga said in a statement released on Monday.
"The current circumstances are new, but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our 2019-2020 season this summer. To come back is to win!" Said LaLiga president Javier Tebas, quoted in the statement.
From Tuesday, after almost two months of interruption (the Liga has been suspended since March 12), professional footballers in Spain will be tested for the new coronavirus, and will be able to resume training 48 hours after obtaining their negative result.
The country's health and sports authorities have given the green light, and LaLiga, the Spanish federation (RFEF) and medical experts have jointly drawn up a return to training protocol, "with the aim of guaranteeing the greatest safety for the health of everyone involved, "the statement said.
The plan "will last approximately one month and will have different phases which will remain subject to the de-escalation plan established by the government," said the LaLiga statement.
Since Monday, the Spanish government has launched its deconfinement plan in four phases. For professional athletes, this includes "opening individual training and basic training in professional leagues".
Atlético Madrid has planned to conduct these screening tests on Wednesday. Real Madrid had planned several meetings on Monday to finalize its recovery schedule with the aim of resuming training this week, a source within the club told AFP.
Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga, said on April 7 in a press conference call with international media that his idea was to resume competition "May 28-29, June 6-7 or June 28" behind closed doors, to be able to complete the 2019-2020 season.
According to LaLiga figures, professional football accounts for 1.37% of Spanish GDP and provides 185,000 jobs in the country. "The return of football means that society is gradually returning to normal," said Tebas.
© 2020 AFP