Rome (AFP)
The Serie A has a roadmap: the Italian clubs fixed Wednesday to June 13 the date of resumption of the championship. But there is still one element missing, the most important, the green light from the government.
An important advance for them, they obtained the green light on Wednesday to resume collective training on Monday.
Asked in late April about the possibility of completing the Serie A season, the former international midfielder and current president of the players' union Damiano Tommasi had compared the company to "the ascent of Zoncolan", the terrible summit of Dolomites, one of the most feared cyclists.
The climb has started and Serie A is only at the first switchbacks. But she is now viewing the finish line.
Meeting in videoconference for a general assembly, the League voted Wednesday in favor of the date of June 13, "in compliance with government decisions and in accordance with medical protocols for the protection of players," according to a press release.
The Italian sports media add that 16 clubs chose June 13, while four others preferred the 20. With still 12 full league days to go, plus four games behind, the schedule is still extremely tight.
It will only be tenable by playing every three or four days, only two dates being left free in July for the return semi-finals and the final of the Italian Cup.
The clubs had already assured several times of wanting to finish the season and had voted in this direction unanimously on April 21. But this is the first time that a date for the resumption of competition has been officially announced.
The other date now on the calendar, definitive this one, is that of May 18. As of next Monday, clubs will be able to organize collective training sessions, whereas since May 4, only individual and optional sessions are possible.
- modified protocol -
The Minister of Sports Vincenzo Spadafora has indeed given the green light after having had confirmation of the modifications made by the federation to its health protocol.
"A few minutes ago, I received a letter from the president of the federation Gabriele Gravina. He informed me that the federation had followed all the recommendations of the Technical and Scientific Committee and had readjusted its protocol, thus allowing the resumption without further difficulty collective training from May 18, "he said Wednesday before the Chamber of Deputies.
The most delicate point of this protocol concerns the obligation made to clubs to put their entire workforce in quarantine for 15 days, as well as the staff, as soon as a positive case appears. From May 18, teams should live in a bubble, with a sort of initial greening of two weeks during which the players will be regularly tested.
Earlier today, Minister Spadafora had also reaffirmed the government's cautious line regarding a possible resumption of the championship. "If the championship resumes, as we all hope, it will be because we will have made this decision after a thoughtful series of actions and protocols allowing to resume in safety, for all," he had declared before the Senate.
Because the government has not yet formally validated the hypothesis of a resumption of competition. The decision could ultimately belong to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who has yet to meet - presumably next week - leaders of the federation and the League.
Meanwhile, other voices are heard, including that of Ultras supporters, most of whom oppose a return to the pitch. On Wednesday, the Curva Nord of Inter Milan thus reaffirmed its position, believing that the time was for "mourning, silence and respect".
© 2020 AFP