La Liga restart plan under scanner as 6 players test positive for coronavirus

Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi (C) is marked by Atletico Madrid's Brazilian defender Renan Lodi (L) and Atletico Madrid's Spanish midfielder Saul Niguez (C) during the Spanish Super Cup semi final between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on January 9, 2020, at the King Abdullah Sport City in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah. - The winner will face Real Madrid in the final on January 12. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP)


Three Real Betis and three Atletico Madrid players have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after it was revealed that La Liga would resume the 2019-20 season on June 20.

Atlético Madrid’s Renan Lodi, Real Sociedad’s Álex Remiro and Granada’s Yangel have been diagnosed with the virus, while the identities of the Real Betis players have not yet been revealed. As the La Liga clubs continue to test their players, there are speculations that many more positive cases are going to surface.

The fresh cases have thrown new challenges to the La Liga authorities and have exposed that there are many loopholes to cover before the league can finally return.

The Spanish government had given a green signal to the La Liga clubs to resume training this week.

As per the guidelines, players will start with individual training in order to regain fitness which will be followed by group sessions at a later date. However, a test for COVID-19 is compulsory before everything.

About the tests, La Liga had predicted around 2000 COVID-19 tests would be carried out across 42 professional clubs and has estimated around 30 asymptomatic positive results.

Meanwhile, Barcelona had become the first club to resume individual training on Friday after all the players tested negative for the novel coronavirus, informed the official website of the club.

The players were divided in the three pitches at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper so that they could carry out their training sessions and maintain distance from each other as directed in the health measures laid out by the La Liga officials.

Leganes coach Javier Aguirre had earlier revealed that the suspended La Liga season will kick off on June 20 and will be concluded by July 26.