This archive report was first published on 10 May 2020.
La Liga confirmed on May 10, 2020 that five players from Spain's top two leagues have tested positive for coronavirus.
Players in Spain's top-flight and Segunda division were allowed to carry out individual work at training grounds last week as part of a staggered training programme aimed at restarting competitive games in mid-June.
La Liga insists that identifying infected players through positive tests is part of their plan to ensure everyone's safety when returning to work.
According to La Liga, the five players will be quarantined at home and tested again in the next few days. They will be allowed to rejoin their club's training programme only after obtaining two consecutive negative test results.
La Liga's training plan includes players initially carrying out work individually before expanding into small groups and finally taking part in larger team sessions.
Barcelona's players were back for their first session on Friday, while Real Madrid's will return on Monday. The medical protocol for training is strict, including players arriving already changed and at specific times to avoid contact with others.
Football matches are expected to be staged behind closed doors for several months, with La Liga president Javier Tebas estimating the economic fallout of cancelling the top flight would cost clubs around a billion euros ($1.08 billion).
