Professional football across Europe is beginning to edge closer to a return after the season was halted because of the coronavirus outbreak. Some leagues have cancelled their seasons altogether, while others are at different stages as they look to resume.
Image source: aawsat.com
However, it appears that the majority of major European leagues will be back very soon, albeit looking very different with games played behind closed doors. Football bettors can breathe a sigh of relief, as that means Saturday accumulators are also making a comeback. Check out Casivo for a top list of the best betting sites in the UK.
The Premier League launches ‘Project Restart’
Premier League clubs in England have just returned to training after an agreement was met that ‘small group’ sessions could begin again.
This was based on just six people from a test pool of 764 players and members of staff at clubs testing positive for Covid-19.
The hope is for normal ‘contact’ training to recommence within a week, but the planned return to action looks set to be moved back from June 12 to June 19.
Liverpool have a well-publicised 25-point lead at the top of the table, and effectively need just one more win to secure their first league title in almost three decades.
Manchester City, Leicester and Chelsea fill the other Champions League qualifying places, but Manchester United, Wolves and Sheffield United are still in the hunt for a top-four finish, with nine games still to play.
La Liga look to a June 12 restart
La Liga in Spain has allowed clubs to return to training, but only if they can do so in groups of no more than 10 people. Players had to have tests for coronavirus, but just five players from Spain’s top two divisions tested positive, which was good enough for the authorities to give the green light for clubs to resume training.
The next phase would see a return to full training before a possible restart to the season behind closed doors from Friday, June 12, a little bit earlier than the previous La Liga restart plan.
With nine games still to play, it would set up a fascinating end to an extraordinary season with Barcelona and Real Madrid set to resume their battle for the La Liga title.
Barcelona are just two points ahead of their bitter rivals Real, with the two giants of Spanish football already look to have secured their place in next seasons Champions League.
But there are just two points separating Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Getafe and Atletico Madrid in the race for the other two places.
Serie A gets the go ahead, but not before June 15
In Italy, a government law currently banning all competitive sports events until June 14 means Serie A cannot resume until after that date.
When the action does return, Juventus will have a one-point lead to defend ahead of Lazio but there are still 12 rounds of games to play.
Inter Milan, in third, look set to secure their place in next season’s Champions League, while Atlanta and AS Roma will battle it out for the remaining top-four spot.
The Netherlands abandoned their season and did not declare a champion, instead of awarding the teams in the top five places spots in European competition next season
Belgium were the first European country to cancel their season, declaring Club Brugge champions
