COVID-2019: European Leagues Gear Up for a Restart
By Elizabeth Mosima
Some football championships in Europe have decided to end while others are still bent on completing the 2019/2020 season.
Many championships have been grounded to a halt for several weeks due to Coronavirus pandemic. As a result some football leagues in Europe like France and the Netherlands have decided to end their championships while others are still bent on completing the 2019/2020 season.
Premier League
Several clubs in the English Premier League have expressed their desire to play the remaining fixtures of the championship at neutral venues but with the threat of relegation be moved. Clubs in the England top tier have been told that they will be using up to ten neutral stadiums and that it may be the only way to complete the season. Brighton and Hove Albion have become the first Premier League clubs to publicly oppose plans to restart the season in neutral stadiums. Brighton's chief executive, Paul Barber, said the move at this critical point in the season would have a material effect on the integrity of the competition.
Serie A
Italy's Serie A is still battling with the Italian government over a possible restart. Even though the country's lockdown rules were set to be eased on May 4, 2020, Minister for Sport, Vincenzo Spadafora, has refused to permit top-flight clubs to return to training. Vincenzo Spadafora disclosed that for now there haven't been talks about restarting the championship. Teams in Italy's championship were expected to begin individual training sessions in the clubs facilities on May 4, 2020 while collective training may only start by May 8, 2020.
La Liga
Officials of Spain's La Liga say they are hoping to restart the season by June with clubs expected to return to training this week. Players from the top two divisions will train individually after an agreement with Spain's sports and health authorities that guarantee the safety of both the players and staff. Players however must undergo tests before they can return to training facilities. Football in Spain was suspended indefinitely in March with 11 rounds of matches remaining and with FC Barcelona toping the table two points clear of rivals Real Madrid.
Bundesliga
Ten persons from clubs in Germany's top and second tier championships have tested positive for the Coronavirus. The ten cases were discovered following massive tests on over 1, 700 persons from Germany's top two divisions. Clubs have been training in groups with the tests taken before a planned return to training. The Bundesliga is expected to become the first major football league in Europe to return to competition. Officials suggested resuming on the 9th of May but the government delayed the decision and a restart is now on the path for either the 16th or the 23rd of May.
This article originally in Cameroon Tribune. [Photo: Getty Images]