Premier League clubs on Friday reconfirmed their commitment to finish the 2019/20 season subject to coronavirus restrictions being lifted in Britain despite fears expressed by players.
The English top
flight faces an eye-watering estimated loss of around £1 billion ($1.25
billion) if no more football is played due to the global pandemic.
Playing the 92
remaining games behind closed doors would mitigate that loss, avoiding the need
to repay hundreds of millions to broadcasters.
But the Premier
League faces huge logistical difficulties in its attempts to return to action,
with Britain one of the countries worst-hit by COVID-19.
The league and
clubs discussed possible steps towards resuming the season at a meeting on
Friday.
“The league and
clubs are considering the first tentative moves forward and will only
return to training and playing with government guidance, under expert medical
advice and after consultation with players and managers,” the Premier League
said in a statement.
“The clubs
reconfirmed their commitment to finishing the 2019/20 season, maintaining
integrity of the competition and welcomed the government’s support.”
The British
government is due to review a nationwide lockdown on May 7 and Prime Minister
Boris Johnson promised on Thursday to provide a “roadmap” towards easing
restrictions.
Legal challenges
Liverpool are on
the brink of their first league title for 30 years with a 25-point lead at the
top of the table.
However the Premier
League is keen to avoid potential legal challenges over the awarding of much
more tightly contested European places, relegation and promotion if the season
cannot be completed.
Paris Saint-Germain
were declared Ligue 1 champions on Thursday after French Prime Minister Edouard
Philippe announced sport could not resume before September.
The decision to end
the season based on average points per game has angered some clubs, most
notably Lyon, who have threatened legal action after missing out on a European
place.
Key to any
restarting of matches in the Premier League is government support. Oliver
Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, struck a
positive tone after a meeting with leaders of a number of sports on Friday.
“We just kicked off
first of many detailed meetings to plan for a safe return of elite sport behind
closed doors when, and only when, it is safe to do so on the basis of expert
medical advice,” Dowden tweeted.
However, players
are questioning whether they are being rushed back into action to save the
clubs money.
“Obviously, the
majority of players are scared but above all because they have children, babies
and family, they might live with their parents,” Manchester City striker Sergio
Aguero told Spanish show El Chiringuito TV.
“If we return I am
sure everyone will be tense because the minute one person starts to feel ill,
it will be ‘what’s going on there?’.”
Players would
potentially face weeks away from their families, quarantined in hotels.
“I am hoping that
it doesn’t come to that scenario,” said Brighton striker Glenn Murray. “That is
far-fetched, to spend eight weeks away from your family is quite a big ask.”
A large supply of
privately sourced tests would be needed for players, coaches and backroom
staff.
Testing has been a
thorny political issue during the pandemic in Britain, with many frontline
workers unable to access tests until recently.
“If football was to
resume then testing will be key and an extra layer of training will be
required,” former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro told the BBC.
“It only takes one
case for all of this to blow up.”
