The remaining matches of the English Premier League are likely to be played at neutral venues and only “up to 10 stadiums” would be used and 40,000 tests for the novel coronavirus would have to be conducted to resume the season behind closed doors.
According to a BBC report on Saturday, the English Premier League officials held a meeting with culture secretary Oliver Dowden and various medical experts from sports organisations, government and Public Health England to step up the planning for football’s eventual return in the country.
However, in the meeting between Premier League officials and the clubs on Friday, no decision was taken but all the stakeholders reiterated their desire to finish the 2019/20 season subject to restrictions being lifted in the country.
“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,” said Premier League in a statement.
“No decisions were taken at today’s Shareholders’ meeting and clubs exchanged views on the information provided regarding ‘Project Restart’.
“The clubs reconfirmed their commitment to finishing the 2019/20 season, maintaining the integrity of the competition and welcomed the Government’s support,” it added.
Earlier, several media outlets had reported that the English Premier League is reportedly eyeing a resumption of the 2019-20 season on June 8.
According to a report last week by The Times, the football chiefs and officials of other sport governing bodies were in touch with the British government to decide from when they can start staging the sporting fixtures which are currently on hold due to the situation caused by the novel coronavirus.
A BBC report had earlier also stated that the clubs were likely to put June 30 as the deadline to decide if the 2019-20 season would continue or be scrapped amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought all forms of professional football into a standstill in the United Kingdom and in most parts of Europe.