Atlanta United eliminate Messi’s Inter Miami from MLS Cup playoffs
Atlanta United staged a stunning upset in Major Soccer League (MLS) Cup playoffs, eliminating Supporters' Shield winners Inter Miami CF with a 3-2 victory at Chase Stadium.
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has said that the COVID-19 pandemic might benefit Barcelona when football resumes after a suspension of more than two months in Spain and in other parts of Europe.
“Maybe this stoppage with end up benefiting us, but we will have to see if we are restarting the competitions and then we will know the truth,” Messi was quoted as saying to Spanish sports daily Sport on Friday.
Notably, the top-flight Spanish league has been suspended since March in the wake of the novel Coronavirus which has so far killed 26,000 and affected 2.5 lakh in Spain.
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Meanwhile, Messi did not highlight what was the exact benefit he was talking about, but the return of his partner Luis Suarez could be one as the Uruguayan striker utilised the lockdown period to recover from his injury.
Another benefit is likely to be the untimely rest that the players received. Barcelona have been showing signs of fatigue in the last three seasons which resulted in them losing crucial matches at the deciding end of the season.
Meanwhile, Barcelona had become the first club to resume individual training last week after all the players tested negative for the novel coronavirus, informed the official website of the club. La Liga rivals Real Madrid players have also begun individual training.
La Liga president Javier Tebas had earlier expressed his desire to restart the 2019-20 season to resume on June 12.
“I don’t know when football will return. I don’t know if the most probable date is June 19, I would like it to be June 12,” said Tebas as quoted by Movistar. “It will depend on spikes and contagions.”
Giving details of how the remaining matches of the tournament will be played, Tebas said: “There would be league games daily for 35 days.
“24 hours before the game the players will be tested. There is more risk at home than in games. I see no risk because I am confident that sanitary standards will be followed.”
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