Five La Liga Players Test Positive for Coronavirus
Five players from Spain’s top two football divisions have tested positive for coronavirus as clubs begin preparations for a possible return to competitive action.
La Liga confirmed that the positive cases were detected among players from the top-flight and Segunda Division, although the identities of those affected were not disclosed.
Players had been allowed to return to club training facilities for individual sessions as part of a gradual programme aimed at restarting the season in June.
According to La Liga, all five players were asymptomatic and believed to be in the final stages of the illness.
They were instructed to remain in isolation at home and would undergo further testing in the following days.
The players would only be permitted to return to training after recording two consecutive negative coronavirus tests.
La Liga said identifying infected players was one of the main purposes of its testing programme, particularly because people without symptoms could still spread the virus to others.
The league’s return-to-training plan was designed to progress in stages, beginning with individual sessions before moving to small-group training and eventually full-team activities.
Barcelona players had already returned for individual training, while Real Madrid were preparing to resume sessions shortly afterwards.
Strict health measures were also introduced at training grounds. Players were required to arrive at designated times, already dressed for training, while wearing masks and gloves. Their temperatures were checked before entering facilities, and they were instructed to shower at home after sessions.
La Liga had not officially confirmed a date for competitive matches to resume, although June was being considered as a possible starting point.
Matches were also expected to be played behind closed doors as Spain continued to ease restrictions introduced to control the coronavirus outbreak.
La Liga president Javier Tebas had warned that cancelling the season could have severe financial consequences, estimating that Spanish clubs could lose around €1 billion.
Spain’s lower third and fourth divisions, however, were not expected to complete their seasons, with promotion places to be determined through play-offs and no teams being relegated.
