'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has posted an update on Instagram, as he and his teammates have begun group training with the La Liga season set to resume next month.
The 34-year-old defender, who has been at Real Madrid for 15 years, started all but two of Los Blancos' 27 league games this season before March's suspension of play.
This latest development comes after Barcelona today started training in groups of 10, an improvement on proceedings as players were previously only permitted to feature individually - a precautionary safety measure caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Real Madrid skipper Ramos shows off his finishing skills
Real Madrid's Ramos, a centre-back by nature, is unafraid to venture up the pitch during games and scored seven goals (across all competitions) in 34 appearances this term.
With that in mind, it shouldn't be a surprise to see him engaged in finishing practice - rather than defensive drills - during the video he uploaded to Instagram earlier.
Alongside the video, he captioned it: "Nueva semana, más ilusión que nunca. 💪 A new week, more excited than ever. 💪"
You can watch his three excellent strikes below:
Barcelona held a slender two-point advantage over Real Madrid when play was suspended in mid-March, with Los Blancos' last game being a forgettable 2-1 away defeat by Betis on March 8 - just a week after their 2-0 El Clasico victory at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid understandably itching to resume play
Zinedine Zidane's men remain confident that they can pip Barca to domestic glory this season, with the campaign expected to resume at some stage next month.
The suspension of play has allowed £90m winger Eden Hazard (lower leg) to recover from his injury, which is sure to spark competition for places once competitive play restarts.
The fact Real Madrid are able to begin group training again is another positive sign, after Javier Tebas' comments last week suggested they're preparing for a June 12 restart in Spain.
The league president has since congratulated the Bundesliga's successful return to action this past weekend and although doubts remain, La Liga clubs are poised to resume shortly.
Ramos has been an advocate for football to resume during these difficult circumstances, as Gerard Pique and the Real Madrid man have spoken up about the importance of returning.
Earlier this month, he was quoted as saying:
"The country needs football back both as an economic motor and as a distraction. Germany will set the pace for us to follow. We like being with our families but have to be flexible."
Elsewhere across Europe, the English Premier League (EPL) are gearing up to begin socially distanced training this week after their 20 clubs unanimously agreed.
However, fears continue to linger in the midst of these unprecedented times.
On Sunday, the UK had a confirmed 3,534 new COVID-19 cases and further 170 deaths. Spain in comparison, had 1,214 new coronavirus cases and 87 deaths.
