Spanish Football League, Federation reach agreement to finish the season

MADRID - The Spanish Football League (La Liga) and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have announced an agreement to try and finish the current league season, which has not seen any games since March 8 due to the health crisis provoked by the COVID-19.

The two organizations, which do not usually enjoy a good relationship, held an 8-hour meeting at the offices of the Spanish government's Superior Sports Committee on Monday and have agreed to return to training "when the sanitary conditions permit, and under strict health protocols".

The Spanish media comment that (depending on government guidelines and permission) players could return to individual training in the middle of May, with group sessions a week or two weeks later. All players would be tested for the coronavirus.

The aim is then to restart the competition on either the last weekend in May, or the first weekend in June and attempt to play two games a week.

These games would be played in empty stadiums with no supporters allowed and there is also a chance that some clubs may opt to hold their fixtures in their training grounds, with the Spanish sports papers, Marca and Diario AS both reporting that Real Madrid are considering playing their matches at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium at their Valdebebas training complex in the outskirts of Madrid.

Monday's meeting also saw the RFEF and La Liga agree to set up a contingency fund of 10 million euros to help smaller clubs which could need financial aid because of the crisis.