Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Jacob Murtagh

Barcelona and Real Madrid given green light to resume training amid coronavirus pandemic

Clubs in Spain will resume training this week as La Liga target resuming the season in June.

The campaign was halted at the beginning of March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Barcelona two points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table.

However, La Liga said clubs in the top two divisions would return to individual training following a protocol it had agreed with Spain's sports and health authorities which guaranteed the safety of players and staff.

"These measures cover a period of approximately four weeks with different phases that, in any case, will be subject to the de-escalation process established by the government," said the statement.

Barcelona are set to return to training (REUTERS)

"Thus, together with the medical tests carried out by clubs, a staggered return to training has been implemented that will start with players training alone and with group activities prior to the return to competition, scheduled for June."

La Liga president Javier Tebas said the season would bring back a sense of normality to Spain, which has lost over 25,000 lives to the virus and seen its economy paralysed.

"This crisis has had a profound impact on all of us. The return of football is a sign that society is progressing towards the new normal. It will also bring back an element of life that people in Spain and around the world know and love," he said.

"People's health is paramount so we have a comprehensive protocol to safeguard the health of everyone involved as we work to restart La Liga. Circumstances are unprecedented but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our season this summer."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.