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La Liga is scheduled to resume later this week after a two-month hiatus owing to the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe. The Spanish top-flight and the rest of the major European leagues have been stopped since mid-March as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the continent.
Last month, La Liga was granted permission to resume the season, with June 11th pencilled in as the tentative restart date. Seventy-two days after the suspension of the league, the Spanish government announced on May 23rd that the current campaign would be finished when it is deemed acceptable to do so.
Games are expected to come thick and fast after the restart and 110 matches are scheduled to be played in the space of six weeks.
La Liga India hosted a virtual press conference earlier today and shed light on several topics in a wide-ranging discussion. Journalists across the country were briefed about the restart protocols, safety guidelines in place and the different phases for the return of the competition.
Jose Antonio Cachaza, the managing director of La Liga India, shared his thoughts on the matter and he was joined by Gary Udhwani, La Liga's Indian delegate and television presenter Joe Morrison.
La Liga games are scheduled to kick-off at four time slots in India and fans will be able to catch all the action live on Facebook.
Safety is of paramount importance, says La Liga director
It was also revealed in the virtual press conference that La Liga officials are working diligently behind the scenes to enhance fans' viewing experience. Details emerged about the applause to infinity initiative, which is a tribute to the medical staff and the victims who have tragically lost their lives due to COVID-19.
Fans around the world have been urged to show their support by sending recordings of their applause, which will be played in the 20th minute of every La Liga encounter. The main goal of the initiative is for fans to come together in solidarity and show that the ongoing crisis has made us stronger and more responsible.
Several other actions have also been launched worldwide to amplify the message that La Liga is back, albeit behind closed doors.
The general briefing about the restart aside, La Liga officials also shared important information about three important respects; safety protocols leading up to the restart, guidelines in place during matches and innovative methods to give the fans an experience like never before.
Much like the Premier League, La Liga also adopted stringent safety norms before the restart. An elaborate four-phase plan was set in motion last month with the testing of players, coaching staff and everyone involved with the La Liga Santander and SmartBank.
In phase two, players were allowed to train alone and given separate balls for the same. Due to the severity of the guidelines, they were not allowed to use the club's changing room, gym and other facilities and were told to arrive to training with their gear on.
Additionally, the players and their family members were advised not to come in contact with anyone outside their homes. In what was seen as a major breakthrough, the players were permitted to resume team training in phase three, albeit in small groups of 10.
As of July 1st, all La Liga Santander and SmartBank sides were granted permission to resume full team training and were also given access to gyms and other facilities. However, they were only allowed to do so in controlled environments and given time slots for the same.
In what was a wide-ranging interview that touched upon all important details pertaining to the restart, La Liga officials also opened up on the protocol in place on matchdays.
As disclosed by Gary Udhwani, all games are expected to be played behind closed doors and stadium access will be limited to 250 people; which includes players, coaches, cameramen, logistics partners etc.
Every individual must wear a face mask and the stadium will reportedly be divided into security zones. Additionally, pre-match handshakes have been scrapped, substitutes will be seated on socially distanced benches and players will change their kits at half time to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
It was highlighted several times throughout the conversation that the safety of everyone involved is of paramount importance, as football prepares to return to Spain.
To make the experience unique for the fans in such unprecedented times, La Liga has also implemented state of the art technology to elevate the game viewing experience to a whole new level. Aside from virtual stands and a surge in numbers of cameras to cover more angles, La Liga has also collaborated with EA Sports and FIFA 20.
By virtue of their newest partnership deal, there will be a background sound that goes hand in hand with the events of the game, much like FIFA 20.
La Liga India managing director Jose Antonio Cachaza was in good spirits and spoke candidly about the size of the task in hand. Having admitted that football's return is indeed good news, he emphasised the importance of following the safety protocols strictly.
Cachaza also confirmed that Real Madrid and Levante would not be using their usual home stadiums to complete the rest of the season, as both the Santiago Bernabeu as well as the Estadi Ciutat de València are being renovated.
Sevilla and Real Betis will lock horns in the first game after the La Liga restart later this week. Barcelona and Real Madrid are embroiled in a thrilling title race, as the Blaugrana currently find themselves two points clear of their arch-rivals in the La Liga summit.
