THE Premier League has taken another step closer to a return to action with new Covid-19 test results expected today
Top-flight stars will now be able to train in larger groups and even tackle each other ahead of next month’s proposed return.
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Premier League clubs have voted for contract training to return
But the Premier League insisted testing will continue and the health of players and staff is still of paramount importance – with the latest test results due today.
A statement read: “Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training.
“[This marks] another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so.
“Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact.
“The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants.
“Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible.
“Players and staff will continue to be tested for Covid-19 twice a week.
“Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.
“Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.”
Premier League teams have been back in training for a little over a week, doing so individually or in very small groups.
No contact has been allowed, until now – with full drills seemingly on the horizon.
Crowd Control
Betfair have today launched a tool to give people the ability to generate their own crowd noise and atmosphere at home while they watch behind closed doors Bundesliga matches.
Speaking about the lack of atmosphere that comes with football games in the current climate, Betfair Ambassador Dimitar Berbatov said: “It was good to see football back, something that you love returning, and seeing my ex-colleagues do what they love to do was nice.
“It was sad to see no fans in the stadiums but we all know this is what is necessary for the moment.
“For some people watching the football with no atmosphere was a strange experience, for me I’m quite used to it because I was a player and played in games like that.
“It can feel like a training game, you can hear all the players and they don’t have the fans booing them when they make a mistake, which could be a problem because they could make even more without that reaction of the stadium.
“Of course, we’d all prefer to watch football with the fans, especially in Germany, where the atmosphere is amazing, but we are in this situation and hopefully it doesn’t last too long.”
The tool comes loaded with 12 different sounds you’d expect to hear at a packed German football stadium, including fans’ reactions to a goal, a foul, and even a VAR check.
The Crowd Control tool is available to use now and there will also be a special live stream of crowd sounds broadcast on Betfair’s social media channels from 2:30pm tomorrow for supporters who would prefer the atmosphere to be generated for them.
A provisional return date of Friday June 12 was initially pitched, but reports now claim that could be more like June 19 or even June 26.
Manchester United’s trip to Tottenham is expected to be the first televised match back on whichever Friday night sees a return.
The next meeting of the Premier League shareholders will be on Thursday.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
