This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
La Liga's proposed June restart has taken a significant step forward with the Spanish government announcing protocol that will allow training sessions to be expanded to groups of up to 10 players. This decision comes as a boost to La Liga's hopes of restarting the season in the middle of June, following the lead of Germany's Bundesliga, which staged games behind closed doors on Saturday.
Teams in the top two divisions in Spain have already returned to their training grounds this month, with players working individually as part of La Liga's staggered programme, which includes regular testing and strict medical protocol. The move is a welcome development for clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Aletico Madrid, who will be able to train in groups of 10, despite both Madrid and Catalonia remaining in 'phase 0' as two of Spain's worst-hit regions by coronavirus.
According to La Liga president Javier Tebas, the decision was made to ensure all teams could train in the same way. 'It is a ministerial decision. It was very important that all teams could train in the same way,' Tebas said on Sunday.
La Liga has informed clubs that the limit for group training will be 10 players on Monday, despite the government's official statement putting the maximum number at 14. The move is seen as a crucial step towards the planned resumption of the season next month, with Tebas estimating that failing to complete the season would cost clubs around 1 billion euros.
