Coronavirus: Barca boss Setien says La Liga restart plans are 'unworkable'

Plans are reportedly in place for La Liga to resume as early as next month, but Quique Setien is not sure that it is a possibility.

Published : Apr 16, 2020 22:19 IST

Barcelona head coach Quique Setien.
Barcelona head coach Quique Setien.
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Barcelona head coach Quique Setien.

Barcelona boss Quique Setien says the Spanish Football Federation's proposals for the La Liga season resuming are "unworkable" amid the coronavirus pandemic.

No football has been played in Spain's top flight since March in an attempt to slow down the spread of COVID-19, which has killed over 19,000 people in the country.

With lockdown measures being eased, La Liga president Javier Tebas suggested last week that the league could be back up and running by May 29 at the earliest.

According to a leaked proposal, players and coaching staff would be quarantined in a hotel or in their club's training ground to prevent an outbreak, with regular tests to be carried out ahead of games.

However, Barcelona head coach Setien, whose side leads Real Madrid by two points at the top of the division, is pessimistic about the apparent plans to complete the season.

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"Everyone wants to be ready for when the season starts again, but that cannot happen until the health authorities can guarantee that there will be no problems," Setien told radio station RAC1.

"I have read the protocol and the reality is I don't know if it can be carried out as it is written. I think it's unworkable. I think it's very difficult logistically."

Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) officials reportedly met on Thursday, with contingency plans if the season cannot resume said to have been high on the agenda.

Reports in Spain suggest the current top four - Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Real Sociedad - will be awarded Champions League berths for next season if there is no resumption.

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