La Liga Can Restart Behind Closed Doors on June 8
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed Saturday that La Liga has been given the green light to resume behind closed doors from June 8.
La Liga previously said it targeted June 12 for resumption but no official date has been set yet. Multiple reports suggest the derby between Sevilla and Real Betis will be the first La Liga game held.
The league has been shut down since March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, forcing players to train at home during Spain's lockdown. The country has seen over 234,800 confirmed cases of the virus and more than 28,000 deaths.
Earlier this month, La Liga teams returned to training at their club facilities with players practicing individually. The first phase of group training began this week with groups no larger than 10. The next stage will allow players to work on tactics and duplicate match situations in full training.
Each team has 11 games left to play this season, and Barcelona leads Real Madrid by two points atop the standings.
La Liga's return will mark the second major European soccer league to restart amid the pandemic. Bundesliga, Germany's top flight, resumed last weekend without fans and with strict safety protocols.
