THE Premier League’s Project Restart has been handed a huge boost with ZERO positive results from the latest batch of coronavirus tests.
A total of 1,130 players and club personnel were tested in the fourth round of screening.
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Prem stars like Leicester’s James Maddison are edging closer to returning after the latest round of Covid-19 testsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The all-clear will raise confidence around the planned June 17 resumption.
A statement read: “The Premier League can today confirm that on Thursday 28 May and Friday 29 May, 1130 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19.
“Of these, zero have tested positive.”
Responding to the news, Bournemouth stopper Aaron Ramsdale confirmed that he was no longer in isolation after testing negative.
He tweeted: “As of this morning I was out of isolation after my Covid19 test came back negative. Can’t wait to be back out on the grass Monday.”
In the previous round of testing there were four that came back positive from three clubs.
Prior to that there were two positives from two clubs in round two and six from three clubs in round one.
The news comes on the same day the government gave the green light for sport to resume across the country, behind closed doors.
Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne will be hoping to resume where left off after returning to trainingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Millions of footie fans were celebrating this week after it was announced the season would restart on June 17 – with all 92 matches shown live on TV and a third of them totally free.
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters revealed games would be played behind closed doors to avoid a second spike – with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden giving the plans the seal of approval at today’s No10 briefing.
But he warned there would be restrictions in place – including social distancing in the dug-out and players celebrating 2m apart.
FOOTBALL FOR FREE
Mr Dowden said: “I can now make it official: football is coming back.”
He continued: “For more than two months after sport stopped and after weeks of round-the-clock discussions with medical experts and professional sports bodies, I’m delighted to announce today that the Government has published guidance which allows competitive sport to resume behind closed doors from Monday at the earliest.
“Football, tennis, horse racing, Formula One, cricket, golf, rugby, snooker and others are all set to return to our screens shortly.”
In order to fit in all games on TV, new kick-off times will be introduced.
Friday and Monday games will be at 8pm, while Saturday will have four matches starting at 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm.
Midweek games, played on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, will have 6pm and 8pm starts, allowing fans to watch footie all evening.
It will be the first time since the Premier League’s inception in 1992 that top-flight games will be shown by the BBC.
Pubs with beer gardens are likely to be first to reopen, minister says
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
