Barca, Madrid allowed to join La Liga clubs in group training

Barcelona and Real Madrid can join other La Liga clubs in group training sessions next week despite strict lockdown restrictions remaining in their regions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Most of Spain has moved into phase one of their de-escalation programme which allows professional athletes to train in groups, but Madrid and Barcelona remain in phase zero.

The Spanish government has granted exceptions to these clubs and others in the region and they can have group sessions of under 10 players from Monday.

Espanyol, Atletico Madrid, Getafe and Real Valladolid will also benefit from the exception to the lockdown protocol to start group training. 

La Liga players returned to training last week and have been working on an individual basis, following strict routines to guard against coronavirus infection.

Football has been suspended in Spain since March 12, with La Liga president Javier Tebas hoping it can resume from June 12 behind closed doors.

The Bundesliga in Germany resumed on Saturday and Spain wants to follow suit in the weeks to come.

“We had a weekend of football,” Tebas said on Movistar late Sunday. “I congratulated the Bundesliga for the effort they have made. 

“We worked with them on the protocol. I’m very proud and it’s an example to follow. What we saw in Germany is what we will see in Spain.”

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Tebas confirmed that he was hoping football will be played every day of the week when it returns in Spain, including Mondays, as long as the Spanish football federation (RFEF) agrees.

The RFEF and La Liga ended up in court last August as they tussled over which days football could be played in Spain, with a Madrid judge ruling Mondays were to be kept free. (dpa)