May 8th Daily Update

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Despite the majority of football leagues being at a standstill, everyday I will bring updates of what is going on in football leagues around the world.

  • Germany: Great news in Germany as yesterday it was announced by the federation that the Bundesliga & Bundesliga 2 will resume matches on May 16th. On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave the green light for the Bundesliga & Bundesliga 2 to resume matches behind closed doors and leaving it up to the German Federation to decide on the date to restart. The leagues will be finished by June 27th. There are already some big games to look forward to as on May 16th the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke will be watched around the world. On the same day RB Leipzig host Freiburg and on May 17, Bayern Munich travel to Union Berlin.
Dortmund players training as they get ready for the big derby against Schalke
Image Source: Fussball News
  • England: League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan states that the Premier League will be cancelled if some clubs don't agree to playing at neutral grounds. The neutral grounds will be in stadiums where the local population is less dense to avoid crowds outside the stadiums. All Premier League clubs along with some Championship clubs have invested in coronavirus testing machines. The testing machines give back results in about two and a half hours, which cost £36,000 according to the Guardian. The FA is hoping that the Premier League can restart in June.
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho helps bring food to the NHS
Image Source: Tottenham Hotspur Facebook Page

  • France: As of April 28th, all French leagues won't continue the 2019-2020 season. 
    • Ligue 1:
      • PSG were declared 2019-2020 Ligue 1 champions 
      • 2nd place Marseille will join PSG in the Champions League group stages 
      • Rennes will be in the 3rd qualifying round
      • 4th place Lille will compete in next season's Europa League 
      • Remaining two Europa League spots remain up in the air.
    • Cup Competitions:
      • The Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue Final can determine the two remaining Europa League spots. 
      • LFP director general Didier Quillot stated that there is a possibility of the domestic cup finals to take place in August. 
    • Ligue 2:
      • Lorient won the Ligue 2 will be promoted to the Ligue 1 with 2nd place Lens
      • Bottom two Ligue 1 teams Amiens and Toulouse will be relegated to the Ligue 2
      • Hasn't been a decision on if the bottom two teams Le Mans & Orleans will get relegated to the Championnat National.
        • The decision on these clubs fate will be decided on May 20th at the general assembly of the French Football Federation (FFF).
  • Championnat National (3rd tier):
    • A decision hasn't been made yet if teams will be promoted from and relegated to the Championnat National.
PSG declared winners of the 2019-2020 Ligue 1 season
Image Source: Ligue 1

  • Italy:  Italian football clubs have begun returning back to training on Monday by training individually. Training as a team is scheduled for May 18, however on May 6 an unidentified Torino FC player got tested positive for COVID-19. Yesterday three players and three staff members from the Serie A side ACF Fiorentina were tested positive. A club statement read, "The club has proceeded, as per protocol, to continue the isolation of the people involved. For the rest of the group tomorrow morning, training will continue as scheduled''. To make things worse, before these confirmed cases, the Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadaforo declared last week that resuming the 2019/20 Serie A season is “becoming increasingly unlikely”. According to Football Italia, all Serie A teams expect for Brescia and Torino have agreed to resume the season.
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini training incase the Serie A season does resume.
Image Source: Juventus Facebook Page
  • Portugal: 
    • Primeira Liga (1st tier): 
      • As of May 2nd the Primeira Liga will officially resume the 2019-2020 season on May 30th, becoming the first major league to restart. 
      • The remaining 10 rounds of fixtures will be behind closed doors 
      • Porto and Benfica are currently fighting for the top spot.
    • Taça de Portugal Final
      • Porto vs Benfica
      • Exact date and time unknown 
    • LigaPro (2nd tier):
      • Top two teams CD Nacional and Farense get promoted to the Primeira Liga since the 2019-2020 season for the LigaPro is declared finished.
      • However it is unsure that the leagues below will resume matches.
Benfica players training as their matches began in the end of May.
Image Source: Sport Lisboa e Benfica Facebook Page

  • Spain: Spanish football clubs have returned to training on May 4th and started with individual training. La Liga organisers are aiming to resume the 2019-2020 season in June. On May 11, trainings can begin in small groups and on the 1st of June full training sessions are permitted. 
Lionel Messi returning to training for the first time since mid-March.
    Image Source: Daily Star


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