The Premier League, one of the last European football leagues to be paralyzed due to the pandemic, is already planning the so-called “Project Restart”. However, according to ESPN, some players from several clubs in England’s first division have already expressed their discontent with the early measure.
They don’t like the idea of matches being played with social isolation measures.
Also according to the website, a return to football in the current moment in the United Kingdom would be a historic negative mark. The country accumulates 500 daily deaths due to the new Coronavirus.
Many athletes are uncomfortable with the possibility of returning to play in the face of the difficult scenario that England is going through. With more than 160 thousand confirmed cases and 26 thousand deaths, the country is one of the most affected by the pandemic.
Although some players are fearful, the clubs are also afraid of the risk of some associations disappearing. However, they affirmed that no athlete will be forced to play. Also, it is important to say that the championship will only return with the permission of the English government.
Sky Sports made an anonymous interview with a director of one of Premier League’s clubs and he said that some representatives fear that the stoppage will be extended. And, according to some predictions, 90% of the clubs in England are at risk of disappearing if games do not return in the near future. Because of that, training should be returning on the 8th of June.
The British authorities are studying the possibility of revising traffic restrictions. Therefore, the best scenario at this point is that players can return to training, however, being separated into groups. However, some athletes fear to return to play while there is still a risk of contagion. On this subject, the manager heard by Sky Sports said that there is no way to force players to return to training, however, he does not rule out the possibility of replacing them if there is any resistance in returning to play.
Among the measures for the return of the Premier League, later this year is the isolation of athletes in hotels until the end of the season. This would considerably reduce the potential risk of contagion for athletes to their respective families.