Amidst gloom, some encouraging signs for football

After spending more than a month in lockdown, the restlessness is writ large on everyone’s faces. People are itching to step out and get on with their daily lives, and governments in various parts of the world are gradually relaxing the curbs they imposed in a bid to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many footballers, who have swapped their boots for PlayStations, too can’t wait to step out on the field and make those darting runs and tackles.

Football is the most followed sport in the world and UEFA, the body that governs the game in Europe (cash cow), is desperate to return to action. While some top clubs seek a return behind closed doors, some others want the season to be declared null and void. Even fans are divided on whether football should resume amidst the pandemic. In an encouraging sign, some clubs have already begun training while sticking social-distancing norms and a few others plan to follow the suit. DH takes a look at the scenario facing the footballing landscape.

England

Clubs and stakeholders have been holding meetings to find a way to resume the most popular football league in the world and they would be holding one more on Friday. Players from Arsenal, Brighton, West Ham and Tottenham have already resumed training and the plan is to play the remaining 92 matches at approved stadiums over a six-week period starting mid-June. According to media reports, the government will hear from league officials and if things normalise, action will resume behind closed doors.

Germany

The most encouraging signs have been coming from Deutschland with clubs having resumed training a few weeks ago. The current proposal, yet to be approved by the government, is for the Bundesliga to resume on May 9 behind closed doors but that date is more or less likely to be pushed back by a week to May 16.

Spain

La Liga players will be able get back to basic training from May 4 as Spain slowly transitions out of the lockdown. The Spanish government has a four-step measure to lifting the lockdown and only in the later stages will it be possible for the players to resume full training sessions.

League president Javier Tebas is hopeful the league can begin again in mid-June and said that cancelling the season is not an option due to the economic fallout.

Italy

Things don’t look too great in the worst affected European nation. Sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora has warned that his country will have to call an end to their football and sports seasons. Serie A’s top flight clubs are holding an emergency meeting on Friday where Italian Football Federation chief Gabriele Gravina feels many clubs could ask for the season to be suspended. In short, things don’t look great for Serie A.

France

Following Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s statement that the 2019-20 professional sports leagues, notably football, cannot restart, French League (LFP) authorities decided to crown Paris St Germain as Ligue 1 champions.

PSG had a 12-point lead over second-placed Olympique de Marseille when the season was suspended. The LFP also crowned Lorient as Ligue 2 champions.

Asia

The Korean FA Cup will kick off on May 9, a day after the K-League begins its 2020 season.

The tournament, originally scheduled to begin on March 14, will be held without spectators at least during the early rounds. The Chinese Super League is postponed indefinitely.