Football in China could be about to resume in the coming weeks.
Due to the coronavirus, this season's Chinese Super League (CSL) which was due to begin in February never got started as the competition was suspended before the first ball had even been kicked.
But with the country seemingly getting hold of the spread, clubs in the CSL have returned to training this week as coronavirus cases begin to ease.
"We trained at a modest level, mainly focusing on strength and conditioning," Shanghai SIPG defender Yu Hai told Shanghai TV after his club’s opening session on Monday. "It’s the first day that we are back to training, and the intensity will be gradually increased for sure.
"We are professional players, we should be able to overcome whatever obstacles lie in front of us.
"I believe with effort from everyone at the club we can stick together and overcome this difficult period together."
With that said, what could this mean for the Premier League and the possibility of the 2019/2020 season resuming on the scheduled date of April 30th?
Well, as reported by Inside World Football, mid-April was touted as a possible date for the CSL season to begin. However, that could be pushed back because ex-Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend.
Although, that does give English football some sort of a timeframe to work with if the UK is able to get hold of the spread.
If the CSL was planned to begin in April then that's two months after the decision was made to suspend the competition.
In England, the Premier League wasn't suspended until March 13. As a result, an April 30th return date would appear to be unrealistic unless there's a significant improvement in handling the outbreak and in a scenario where players are able to return to training within the next fortnight.
Therefore, mid-May could be a realistic return date for the Premier League if going by the two months it has taken for the Chinese Super League to be in a position to resume.
