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      Football fans could return to stadiums before Christmas as Government push for supporters in low-risk areas

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      FOOTBALL fans could be allowed back into stadiums as early as NEXT MONTH, according to reports.
      Premier League and Football League clubs could welcome supporters back into stadiums in December under plans drawn up by the Govenment, according to Sportsmail.

      Football fans could return to stadiums as early as next month as the Government draw up potential plans, say reportsCredit: Reuters

      The Department of Culture, Media and Sport are said to have submitted proposals which would allow fans in areas where coronavirus infection rates are low to attend games for the first time since March.
      While the Government are yet to officially agree to the proposal, the DCMS’s involvement is encouraging.
      On Tuesday, France confirmed they will not welcome fans back to stadiums until January at the earliest.
      Football fans have long bemoaned not being allowed to re-enter stadiums, while other sports and activities have welcomed back crowds, albeit in limited numbers.

      ⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
      Last month, West Ham boss David Moyes vented his frustration.
      The Scot was left baffled after West Ham’s clash with Manchester City was played behind closed doors, but the match was screened in an indoor cinema just a ten-minute walk away.
      Moyes said: “People are going watch a game in a cinema, close to here, why can we not be sitting outside in the open air doing it?

      “Please come out and give us an explanation as to why we can’t do it.”

      Boris Johnson vowed to get football a much-needed financial bailout on SundayCredit: AFP or licensors

      Fans being welcomed back to stadiums would provide a much-needed cash injection to a number of clubs who are reeling from the financial repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic.
      On Sunday night, Boris Johnson vowed to get a football bailout ‘sorted’ as he committed to the biggest spending on infrastructure in 70 years.
      The PM ordered his minister Oliver Dowden to get the Premier League to cough up cash to help struggling clubs.
      Johnson also vowed to get fans back into stadiums when lockdown is lifted next month.
      Speaking to around 60 Northern Tory MPs on Zoom, he added: “I pledge that when we come out of lockdown on December 2 we will work to have the crowds to come back.
      “Don’t run away with it but we need to do much better and bring the fans back.”
      The current lockdown is running until December 2, as things stand.
      The first round of fixtures therefore available for fans to return begin on Saturday December 5.
      Tottenham host Arsenal in the North London derby in the pick of that weekend’s game, with Chelsea vs Leeds, Liverpool vs Wolves and West Ham vs Manchester United also to be played.
      However, stadiums will not be at capacity, with social distancing measures still strictly in place.
      In August, Brighton welcomed 2,524 fans for their side’s pre-season friendly against Chelsea, with the event a roaring success.
      Originally football bosses and the Government had hoped to get fans back into stadiums from October 3, with plans shelved after a rise in Covid cases.
      Culture secretary Dowden claimed the sheer number of fans who travel the country to follow their teams made sport a different animal to the likes of the cinemas and theatres.

      Harry Kane reveals what happened with Arsenal trial and tells Piers Morgan he won’t ever return to Tottenham rivals More

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      Luis Suarez OUT of Uruguay vs Brazil after testing positive for coronavirus along with team-mate Rodrigo Munoz

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      LUIS SUAREZ has tested positive for coronavirus.
      It puts him out of Uruguay’s World Cup qualifier match against Brazil and also means the former Liverpool striker will miss this Saturday’s match between current side Atletico Madrid against his former team Barcelona. 

      Suarez will most games for club and country because of the positive testCredit: AFP or licensors

      The Uruguayan FA confirmed Suarez was one of two players who had tested positive ahead of the Brazil match. The other is Rodrigo Munoz. 
      It said in a statement the pair were “in a good state of health.”
      It was not immediately clear where Suarez will self-isolate.
      The 33-year-old is the latest footballer to be struck with the virus during the international break.

      Matias Faral, the Uruguayan FA’s head of press, has also tested positive for Covid along with Suarez and goalie Munoz, currently playing for Cerro Porteno in Paraguay.
      The statement released by the Uruguayan FA said: “Swabs showed Luis Suarez, Rodrigo Muniz and Matias Faral had all tested positive for Covid-19.“The rest of the players and backroom staff tested negative.
      “The three people mentioned are in a good state of health and the necessary measures have been implemented.”
      Matias Vina, a left-back who plays for Palmeiras in Brazil, is already self-isolating after testing positive earlier.

      Suarez was due to play against his old club Barcelona for the first time this Saturday since signing for Atletico de Madrid. The 33-year-old has yet to make any comment on his social media.
      Mo Salah has caught Covid-19 after he attended his brother’s wedding in Egypt.
      Ireland stars Matt Doherty and James McClean have also tested positive for the virus. More

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      Arsenal star Mohamed Elneny tests positive for coronavirus as Premier League reveal 16 confirmed cases

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      ARSENAL star Mohamed Elneny has tested positive for coronavirus, his agent has confirmed.
      The midfielder follows Egypt team-mate and fellow Premier League ace Mohamed Salah in returning a positive result for Covid-19 while on international duty.

      Arsenal star Mohamed Elneny has tested positive for coronavirusCredit: EPA

      The Egyptian FA confirmed that Elneny tested positive for coronavirus after arriving with the team in Togo.
      The 28-year-old, who has since returned to Cairo, had previously returned negative tests while away with the Pharaohs.
      Meanwhile, Liverpool superstar Salah is not suffering from any symptoms and the attacker could return to England later this week.
      Hossam Hosny, Egyptian Ministry of Health’s head of the COVID-19 committee, said: “Salah is currently in El-Gouna to complete his quarantine and he will conduct another PCR test on Thursday.

      “And I expect that his result will be negative because until now, the player hasn’t shown any symptoms.
      “Like any Egyptian citizen, Salah underwent all needed medical scans and tests that showed he is not suffering from any symptoms and he is now following medical protocol with self-isolation.
      “Liverpool are communicating with us to check on Salah, and their medical staff have agreed that he will travel to El-Gouna.
      “And Salah can return to England if his test result on Thursday is negative.”

      Mohamed Salah could return to Liverpool this week if he returns a negative resultCredit: Reuters
      The news follows the Premier League’s announcement that they have had a 400 per cent increase in positive coronavirus tests over the last week.
      A worrying 16 returned positive results over the last seven days, even though the number of those being examined was 25 per cent fewer than usual.
      The international break meant around 400 players and staff who are usually part of the testing programme were not included this time around.
      So the sharp increase in Covid-19 sufferers, up from just four the previous week, will be a major concern to clubs and league bosses.
      And worryingly, those positive cases do not include any stars who have been found to have contracted the disease while on international duty.
      Just 1,207 individuals provided samples in the week up until last Sunday, down from 1,646 the week before.
      A Premier League statement said: “The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday 9 November and Sunday 15 November, 1,207 players and Club staff were tested for COVID-19. Of these, there were 16 new positive tests.

      “Players or Club staff who have tested positive will self-isolate for a period of ten days.
      “The Premier League is providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and transparency.
      “No specific details as to Clubs or individuals will be provided by the League and results will be made public after each round of testing.”
      Uruguay have confirmed that striker Luis Suarez and goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz had tested positive ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier to rivals Brazil.

      Liverpool star Mo Salah tests positive for coronavirus after linking up with Egypt national team More

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      Tokyo Olympics WILL have fans and family in attendance… if they have had coronavirus vaccine, says chief

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      OLYMPICS chief Thomas Bach believes fans and families WILL be allowed to attend next summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.
      But the International Olympic Committee President expects athletes and spectators alike will need to have proof they have received a Covid-19 vaccine first.

      Bach is confident fans and families will be allowed to attend the Tokyo Olympics next yearCredit: EPA

      Bach was in Tokyo for the first time since the Games were postponed for 12 months in March.
      The IOC boss was confronted by anti-Games protesters but gave a vow the Olympics and Paralympics will go ahead.
      The IOC chief said he hopes that a “reasonable number” of spectators from Japan and the rest of the world will be able to witness the Games in person when they start on July 23.
      He said: “In order to protect the Japanese people and out of respect for the Japanese people, the IOC will undertake great effort so that as many people as possible – Olympic participants and visitors – will arrive here with a vaccine, if by then one is available,

      “We want to convince as many foreign participants as possible to accept a vaccine.
      “This makes us all very confident that we can have spectators in the stadia next year and that they will enjoy a safe environment.”
      Bach’s comments came on the day the outcome of the Moderna vaccine trials with 94 per cent efficiency were announced.
      The German insisted that Olympic competitors should not be placed ahead of “nurses and doctors and people who keep our society alive” in the vaccine queue.

      But he said the Olympic movement should be prepared to pay for some vaccinations of competitors.
      Bach added: “If after the health workers, a vaccine is available, the IOC would bear the cost so that participants can be offered a vaccine.”
      If fans are allowed to attend, they may be banned from cheering and speaking loudly in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus.
      The Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto has refused to rule out the possibility of silencing crowds.
      Speaking to reporters he said: “There’s a possibility that we may ask the spectators to refrain from shouting and speaking in a loud voice.
      “When we think of the impact, we believe it is an item for consideration, to reduce the risk of airborne droplets.
      “But we haven’t reached a conclusion.”

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      Gareth Southgate confirms he DID have coronavirus after England lose to Belgium in Nations League

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has confirmed he DID have coronavirus.
      SunSport revealed the England boss secretly battled the virus last month after developing symptoms.

      Gareth Southgate has confirmed he did battle coronavirusCredit: Rex Features

      Southgate described the virus as ‘not pleasant’ but said his condition ‘wasn’t as serious as some people’Credit: Rex Features

      And following the Three Lions’ 2-0 Nations League defeat to Belgium, the 50-year-old confirmed the news.
      Southgate, 50, said: “Yes, I did have the virus but fortunately I wasn’t as serious as some of the people in our country.
      “It’s not pleasant and it’s not something you’d choose to have but everything is fine now.”
      Southgate had been forced to self-isolate for ten days before further checks came back negative.

      Concern was heightened due to his age but his fitness helped him fight off the deadly virus — with his England stars none the wiser.
      One source said: “He’s a professional, he just got on with it. Fortunately he’s very fit for his age.”

      Southgate’s England lost 2-0 to Belgium in the Nations LeagueCredit: Reuters
      Southgate tested positive around October 25, derailing his preparations for the current international matches.
      He self-isolated at home in North Yorkshire, abandoning plans to attend Premier League games in person.

      Like Prince William, who was diagnosed back in April with coronavirus, he kept the news quiet with only a handful of people knowing.
      A subsequent test came back negative by November 5, enabling him to host a press conference on Zoom announcing his latest squad.

      Gareth Southgate praised Jack Grealish’s performance against BelgiumCredit: AFP or licensors
      Meanwhile, Soutgate praised Jack Grealish for his “outstanding performance as England lost to Belgium.
      He said: “Today was a great game for us to see him in. I couldn’t speak highly enough of his performance.
      “I thought Jack Grealish had an absolutely outstanding game. Losing Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford, we lose a lot of speed. But I can’t fault the attacking play until the last chance.
      “I saw what I knew I would see from Jack, someone with the bravery to play. He took the ball in tight areas, his technique was good, we knew he would buy a lot of free-kicks. I thought he was outstanding – he should be delighted. I explained to him what we wanted to see when we brought him in in September.”
      Southgate added Grealish had “100 per cent” moved himself up the pecking order for future England games.

      England manager Gareth Southgate, 50, secretly battled coronavirus last month with players none the wiser More

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      Northern football clubs urge No10 to sort bailout or risk losing historic teams ‘for good’

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      A DOZEN Northern footie clubs warn No10 to sort a bailout or risk losing historic teams “for good”.
      Teams including Sunderland and Blackburn have united with Blue Wall Tories to urge ministers to rescue the “beautiful game”.

      ⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

      Northern clubs, including Sunderland, call on the Government for a bailoutCredit: PA:Press Association
      Clubs across the nation are teetering on the “financial precipice” and already laying off staff, they warn.
      Closure would rip the heart out of communities and see the North South divide “widened further”, they say.
      They blast Downing Street for just simply telling football to “sort itself out” and say it is time for ministers to finally take charge.

      In a blistering letter to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, they fume: “EFL clubs, almost all of them the social cornerstone of the towns and cities they bear the names of, stand on the brink of a financial precipice.
      “Many are now failing to meet payroll and are making swathes of redundancies to keep their heads above water.
      “These redundancies are destroying structures that have taken decades to establish and will take decades to replace.” They tear into the government for stumping up £1.5bn for posh arts like ballet while popular football clubs face ruin.
      They are demanding a three-pronged plan to rescue Northern clubs from disaster.

      They want the Government to “step in” and “end the deadlock” by forcing the Premier League to finally stump up the cash to rescue smaller clubs.
      They also want a clear roadmap out of lockdown and tier restrictions, and a Northern Economic Recovery Plan.
      Together, the 12 clubs who have signed the letter have existed for a whopping 1,486 years.
      Tory MP and ex minister Jake Berry – who sparked controversy among some by saying footie matters more than ballet to the North – demanded action.
      He said: “My comments may have ruffled more feathers than a performance of Swan Lake at the Northern Ballet.
      “But football is our national game and it’s time to support our lower league clubs.
      “EFL Clubs are cultural assets at the heart of their community.
      “But whilst the arts have received £1.5bn of taxpayers cash, clubs like Blackburn Rovers have received nothing.
      “It’s time for the Government to level-up the playing field and get behind the beautiful game and to force the Premier League to pay up as well as setting out a plan to bring back the fans after lockdown.”

      A Government spokesperson said: “Having spent £1.2 billion in the recent transfer window, professional football has the means to support clubs through the pandemic.
      “The Premier League has been clear that it will ensure that no club will go bust due to the pandemic with an offer on the table.
      “Clubs can also benefit from the government’s Covid business support schemes. We urge the EFL and Premier League to finalise a deal as soon as possible.”

      Ally McCoist can’t believe that Premier League clubs won’t financially help EFL clubs
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      Real Madrid to ‘ask squad including Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema to take ANOTHER pay cut due to coronavirus pandemic’

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      REAL MADRID stars are reportedly being asked to take a second pay cut amid the coronavirus pandemic.
      Football’s finances have taken a major hit in the crisis with ticket and merchandise income slashed.

      Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos are set to take part in talks over a second Real Madrid pay cutCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Los Blancos had already agreed a pay cut, ranging between 10 and 20 per cent of their annual wage, in the spring.
      That allowed the LaLiga giants to avoid job losses and the club saw out a quiet summer transfer window.
      According to ESPN, Madrid fear more pay cuts are necessary to avoid substantial losses in the new season.
      Spain has suffered a second wave of the pandemic and there is no sign of fans returning to grounds en masse anytime soon.

      Talks with captains Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane are described as ongoing.
      Furthermore, the exact figure to be cut is not yet decided while Real bosses set a budget for the year.
      Reigning champions Madrid sit fourth in the table in a mad start to the season, which sees Real Sociedad claim top spot and Barcelona back in eighth.
      Gareth Bale was allegedly the only player to refuse the voluntary pay cut in April, which also saw Real stars forego their bonus for winning LaLiga.

      Fellow Spanish sides Barcelona and Atletico Madrid were forced to enact drastic pay reductions, worth up to 70 per cent, earlier in the year.
      Having announced losses of £88m in October, the Catalans are once again said to be negotiating a round of cuts.

      Gerard Pique, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Frenkie de Jong and Clement Lenglet recently signed new contracts that included a reduced salary.
      The threat of bankruptcy is reportedly looming over the Camp Nou if further cuts cannot be agreed.
      And it has even been claimed that Barcelona lost £23m-a-year in their new deal with shirt sponsor Rakuten due to the uncertainty over Lionel Messi’s future.

      Gerard Pique is among the Barcelona stars to agree a second salary reductionCredit: AFP or licensors

      Sir Ian Diamond reveals that coronavirus cases are starting to flatten off in Britain More

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      Man Utd star Alex Telles tests positive for coronavirus for a second time after playing for Brazil against Venezuela

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have been dealt a blow after left-back Alex Telles tested positive for coronavirus for a second time.
      The 27-year-old has already missed four games for the Red Devils after first testing positive for Covid-19 at the end of October.

      ⚠️ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Manchester United defender Alex Telles has tested positive for coronavirus on international duty with BrazilCredit: PA:Press Association
      Telles joined up with Brazil’s squad for the international break as he produced a negative result.
      And the former Porto defender even came off the bench in his nation’s 1-0 win over Venezuela on Friday.
      Yet Guilherme Arana has now been called up after the Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed Telles tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.

      The CBF claim that United star Telles is ‘no longer in a transmissive stage’ as the rest of Tite’s players will undergo a second test on Saturday.
      But if the Red Devils ace returns a second successive positive result today then he won’t be able to travel with Brazil for their game against Uruguay.
      Telles would then be forced to return to United to undergo a second period of isolation which would be a huge blow to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
      The Old Trafford chief is already without Luke Shaw for at least a month due to a hamstring injury sustained in the 3-1 win over Everton.

      And that could leave Solskjaer with just Brandon Williams as United’s only available left-back if Telles tests positive for coronavirus again today.

      United resume their Premier League campaign next Saturday at Old Trafford as they host struggling West Brom.
      The club will then look to exact revenge on Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League following a shock 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture.
      Telles has managed just one appearance for United since his recent move due to testing positive for coronavirus the first time.

      Man Utd star Marcus Rashford and Wolves’ Conor Coady OUT of England squad for Belgium and Iceland Nations League clashes More