Real Madrid, Barcelona set for LaLiga return on 12 June
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético and the rest of the clubs in LaLiga have been handed a restart date for the coronavirus postponed 2019-20 season of June 12.
LaLiga has set a restart date for the 2019-20 season of 12 June as the sport's governing body seeks to finish the campaign on the pitch. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and the rest of the top flight's clubs have all returned to training or are due to on Monday ahead of the proposed kick-off of the final phase of the season but the health authorities will be closely monitoring the situation after several clubs reported fresh cases of Covid-19 after returning to the turf.
Among the protocols put in place by a committee of LaLiga and the Spanish Higher Sports Council (CSD) are social distancing measures, rigorous testing of players and staff and the use of protective face masks and gloves in training.
The idea is to play the remainder of LaLiga out during June and July, with August set aside by UEFA for the completion of the Champions League and Europa League. The Health Ministry will have the final say on the start date for LaLiga, with 19 June also under consideration if the situation requires a further postponement.
On Sunday evening, LaLiga president Javier Tebas spoke on Spanish programme #Vamos, where he was asked when he thought the league would return.
"I don't know," he replied, "it will depend on the [government] phases. I hope it's on 12 June. It will depend on the waves of the virus...
"The Primera and the Segunda divisions will complete at the same time. There will be football every day for 35 days."
Weekends and midweek fixtures to complete LaLiga
Liga games will be played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with midweek rounds of the competition to be staged between Tuesday and Thursday to complete the remaining 11 rounds of action as quickly as possible. FIFA recently approved the introduction of five substitutions and an increase in squad numbers to 23 to ensure the health and safety of players.
By completing the season Spanish clubs will be able to ensure the receipt of the lion's share of the television revenue due to them and therefore stave off any further cutbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many clubs including Barça and Atlético have already been forced to invoke a government furlough scheme to prevent irreversible financial losses during the Liga shutdown.