CORONAVIRUS
Coronavirus: Four-step plan set for return of LaLiga
Spanish football clubs will be allowed to re-open their training facilities on 4 May with group training to return on 18 May. Football games could return in June.
The protocol has been delivered to the Ministry of Health by the CSD - Spain's National Sports Council - and it paves the way for teams to return to training first before we return to football. Pedro Sanchéz, the country's Prime Minister, has announced the measures to return to life, or as he called it 'the new normal' in four phases.
Professional athletes' return consists of four phases, each one a week long. The protocol has been designed in order to return to LaLiga action by the 5 or 12 of June. Those phases are as follows:
4 May
Players will return to the training facilities to start individual training. They are allowed to train on the field and with the ball if such activity is required. They will do tests first if they are part of the first team based off a list of players, manager, assistant, doctor, physio and kit-person. They will have the test in their cars before entering the training ground.
18 May
The initial date set for a return to group training. The first instance of training will consist of six players, which could become 8 players a week later on 25 May. With managers and coaches, they will not be allowed to have more than 10 people on the field at the same time. They will not be allowed to mix in the training ground or in the dressing room.
1 June
This is provisional date for group training with a strict protocol being set out to be followed. During this phase, players will be forced to stay isolated together with the view to getting back to football. So far, however, this has been rejected by the footballers.
5 June
Provisional date set for the return to action behind closed doors depending on how training goes. Between the 5 June and 12 June is when football could restart. Everything going to plan, either the 5 June or 12 June is when the 28th matchday of LaLiga could return.