Real Madrid and Barcelona player have undergone testing for Coronavirus. The tests come after La Liga clubs plan to return to restrictive training ahead of a season resumption next month.
RTE Sport that Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and French World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann were among players pictured arriving one by one in their cars at the clubs training facilities on Thursday morning. Real Madrid players which included Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard also undertook health checks on Thursday morning at Madrid’s training facilities.
The testing comes on the back of the strict La Liga protocol which teams must comply with before a return to training. The results of the tests are expected in the 48 hours. Atletico Madrid will also carry out testing today and they are aiming to get back to training once results are known, providing everything is okay.
The Spanish Government announced a four phase programme earlier last week. In terms of football, the first phase would allow players to train alone, with a maximum of six players allowed on the pitch at anyone time. RTE report that players will be expected to arrive for training dressed in team kit, they must also wear a mask and gloves when not training. They will also be given a bag with clothes for the next day after each session.
The fourth stage which is scheduled for June would allow for outdoor events to take place. However, such events could go only go ahead with less than 400 people. The Straits Times report that La Liga are proposing to play the rest of the season behind closed doors with games to begin in the middle of June.
La Liga President Javier Tebas has also said this stating, “Circumstances are unprecedented, but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our 19/20 season this summer.”
