News24
23 May 2020, 19:40 GMT+10
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Saturday that La Liga can resume from its coronavirus lockdown on the week of 8 June.
"The resumption of major professional sporting competitions and in particular La Liga will be allowed from the week of 8 June," Sanchez told a press conference.
More than two months after the Covid-19 pandemic halted the season in Spain, players have begun training in small groups as they aim to be as ready as possible for the planned reboot next month.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has said the preferred date for games to resume is Friday, 12 June and Sanchez's announcement means that plan has been given the green light from the government.
Clubs have 11 games left to play to finish the season, with the proposed final round to be completed by the end of July.
A compressed calendar would mean teams playing matches both in midweek and at weekends while fixtures will be held behind closed doors, with only 197 people allowed to attend, according to a protocol prepared by La Liga.
Players will also undergo tests for coronavirus the day before games and will have their temperatures taken before being allowed to enter stadiums.
La Liga's staggered training programme meant players began working individually at training grounds on 4 May and were able to expand into groups of up to 10 players this week.
The top flight was first suspended on 12 March after Real Madrid went into quarantine on the same day following the positive test of one of the club's basketball players.
But Tebas has been adamant the league must restart, having estimated that a cancellation of the season would cost clubs around €1 billion.
France's Ligue 1 has been cut short, with Paris Saint-Germain declared champions, while the Bundesliga in Germany became the first major European league to resume behind closed doors last weekend.
"If things are done as they should be, there shouldn't be any infections. If five infections appear in one club, it would suggest some negligence."
Get a daily dose of Irish Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Irish Sun.
More InformationIn spectacular fashion, Israel has upended peace talks and brought to a dramatic end the ceasefire that had paused 15-months of carnage...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Education is investigating 45 universities for possible violations of civil rights laws. ...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Gold prices have shattered the US$3,000 per ounce barrier for the first time, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The Trump administration is pressuring major food companies to remove artificial dyes from their products,...
BERLIN, Germany: German Lawmakers are debating whether to loosen the country's strict borrowing rules to fund military expansion. ...
The Voice of America may not live up to its ambitious name for much longer. Michael Abramowitz, the director of VOA, said in a Facebook...
DUBLIN, Ireland: The need to reduce regulatory burdens in the European Union is finally being acknowledged, according to Ireland's...
BERLIN, Germany: German Lawmakers are debating whether to loosen the country's strict borrowing rules to fund military expansion. ...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Spotify set a new milestone in 2024, paying out US$10 billion in royalties—the highest annual payout to the music...
BELFAST, Northern Ireland: U.S. President Donald Trump expressed strong interest in Northern Ireland during discussions at a high-profile...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Three significant projects focused on marine conservation and climate change adaptation have received over 24 million...
BERLIN, Germany: Volkswagen is set to cut 1,600 jobs at its Cariad software division by the end of the year, affecting nearly 30 percent...