2
6
8
11
18
19
20
25
29
32
37
39
45
46
TOTAL DRAWS 14
6
8
11
18
19
20
25
29
32
37
39
45
46
TOTAL DRAWS 14
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Friday, May 1, 2020
Paris Saint-Germain crowned Ligue 1 champions after French season called off
Paris Saint-Germain have been awarded the Ligue 1 title after the season was ended amid the coronavirus pandemic.
PSG, who have now won their seventh French title in the last eight years, held a 12-point lead over second-placed Marseille when the season was suspended in March.
The French Professional Football League (LFP) ratified the decision at a meeting on Thursday, two days after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe suspended sport in the country until at least September.
A points-per-game system, taking into account the performance of clubs in the matches already played, was used to determine the final standings in the Ligue 1 table.
Marseille have qualified directly for the Champions League while third-place Rennes will enter the qualifying rounds, with Toulouse and Amiens relegated.
Lyon & Amiens to consider legal action
Seventh-placed Olympique Lyonnais, who have missed out on a European place, said they would possibly appeal against the LFP's decision to end the season.
Lyon were just one point behind 6th-placed Nice, who have qualified for the Europa League, with 10 matches to play.
"Olympique Lyonnais reserves the right to appeal against that decision and claim damages, in particular in respect of loss of opportunity and in the light of the case-law of other professional sports which is currently under way, since the damage to the club amounts to several tens of millions of euros," they said in a statement.
"We proposed as early as Tuesday that the league study an alternative solution that would allow the championship to end and thus preserve the fairness inherent in any sporting competition and be in line with UEFA's proposals based on sporting merit according to objective, transparent and non-discriminatory principles.
"This solution, shared by other clubs, was based on the principle of play-offs and play-downs, a championship title acquired by PSG, with a calendar limited to three weeks consistent with health constraints, and an innovative formula that could normally have interested broadcasters, currently short of content, as well as sports betting and all the other economic players in the football sector."
Amiens, who were four points behind 18th-placed Nimes, revealed they would further analyse the reasoning behind the decision reached by the LFP before deciding whether to pursue a legal complaint.
Amiens president Bernard Joannin said in a Facebook live broadcast: "Injustice prevails. Amiens could not defend to the end, on the pitch, to remain in Ligue 1.
"I will fight with all the teams to assert our right, because I think this decision is not right. We will wait for the minutes of the LFP board of directors.
"There will be the passage to the general assembly, and we reserve the right to go further so that justice passes."
The LFP have also crowned Lorient, who led Lens by just one point, as Ligue 2 champions with both clubs earning promotion.
"There might be appeals but our decisions are solid," Didier Quillot, the chief executive of the French League, said.
As the third-tier Championnat National is under French Football Federation (FFF) jurisdiction, they will decide the fate of the promoted teams in that competition with the LFP, as two must come down.
Orleans are seven points adrift at the bottom but 18th-placed Niort and 19th-placed Le Mans are both on 26 points.
The LFP also confirmed their intention to begin the 2020/21 Ligue 1 and 2 seasons on the weekend of August 22-23 at the latest.
The Eredivisie in Netherlands also opted to bring their season to a premature conclusion last week, without champions or relegation, while on Monday Belgian clubs postponed a vote on confirming the cancellation of their top flight until next week.
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Premier League players will have to cover their faces as part of new rules to allow a safe return to full training.
Plans include testing all players and officials 48 hours before returning to training and they will also be tested for potential respiratory problems associated with coronavirus.
Socially distanced training at Schalke; Premier League proposals could see five players per group
Socially distanced training at Schalke; Premier League proposals could see five players per group
Other proposals include:
All footballs, global positioning system [GPS] units, cones, corner flags, goalposts and other equipment to be disinfected before and after use by staff
wearing personal protective equipment [PPE]
Players to wear snood/masks at all times
Cars to be parked three spaces apart
No massages unless approved by club doctor
Fluids to be left at designated pick-up points
Only visit training block to use toilet
Initially only five players per training group
Players to be given designated time slots and 15 minutes to prepare
75 minutes of small group training
15 minutes' recovery
Players and staff will be banned from spitting at the training ground
Testing proposals to be put to clubs
FIFA Medical Committee chairman Dr Michel D’Hooghe says health must be the priority when decisions are made about the resumption of football
Clubs will also be presented with proposals to test players and officials at least twice a week, subject to government approval.
The proposals have been drafted by Premier League medical advisor Dr Mark Gillett, following close consultation with other European leagues, including La Liga in Spain and Bundesliga in Germany.
But testing will only be done on the understanding it does not compromise the testing of key workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The tests will be paid for by the Premier League and privately sourced, so it does not take any resources from public health needs
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Coronavirus: Juventus' Paulo Dybala yet to recover over a month after positive test
The 26-year-old forward announced he was asymptomatic and self-isolating at home last month.
The Argentina international announced on Twitter that he and his partner Oriana Sabatini had both tested positive after becoming the third Juventus player affected, with defender Daniele Rugani and midfielder Blaise Matuidi also confirming positive diagnoses.
'Serie A won't return before June 10'
The future of the 2019-20 Serie A season remains uncertain amid the coronavirus pandemic
The future of the 2019-20 Serie A season remains uncertain amid the coronavirus pandemic
A negative result has not yet arrived for Dybala, but after the last swab the viral load is reportedly now very low.
At the end of March, the forward said in a video update that he "felt good" and was ready to partake in individual training again, following his diagnosis.
Rugani waited 35 days to turn negative, whilst Matuidi received the all-clear a few days less. Even for Dybala, the worst is behind him and it will only be a matter of days for him to finally get rid of the last signs of the virus.
'Training restart does not mean Serie A season will resume'
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Sunday that professional sports teams can resume training on May 18, which means Serie A sides could begin playing games again in June.
But the country's sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora told Italian television channel LA7 that clubs being permitted to train again does not indicate that there will necessarily be an immediate return to Italian top-flight fixtures.
Vincenzo Spadafora, Italy's sports minister, says that the path to restarting the Serie A season is getting "narrower"
Vincenzo Spadafora, Italy's sports minister, says that the path to restarting the Serie A season is getting "narrower"
He said: "I always said that resuming training absolutely does not mean resuming the season. I understand some people saying it but that leaves us with uncertainty.
"If we don't want uncertainty than we need to follow other countries which have already shut down everything.
"Honestly, I see the path to restarting Serie A getting ever narrower. Resuming training is an important sign but if I was among the presidents of the soccer teams I would be thinking about next season."
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday that professional sports teams could start training again on May 18
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday that professional sports teams could start training again on May 18
Serie A's governing body is holding an emergency meeting on Friday, the league has been suspended since March 9, when the government ordered a nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Over 27,000 people have died from coronavirus in Italy. However, the number of daily new cases of COVID-19, as well as the fatalities, have seen a steady decline and the country is set to ease lockdown measures on May 4, allowing individuals to practice sport outdoors.
"Having read what some people have said, we could have a surprise after the league meets because I think there could be a majority of presidents ready to ask for the season to be ended so they can best prepare for next season," Spadafora added.
Trevor Cherry: Former Leeds and England defender dies aged 72
The news of Cherry's death comes less than a fortnight after his former Leeds team-mate Norman Hunter passed away.
Cherry, who began his career at hometown club Huddersfield, made almost 500 appearances for the legendary Leeds side of the 1970s and played 27 times for his country.
"Leeds United are shocked and deeply saddened by the news that club legend Trevor Cherry has passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 72," the club said in a statement.
"Defender Cherry made 486 appearances for the club in all competitions between 1972 and 1982.
"Born in Huddersfield in 1948, Trevor signed professionally for his hometown club in 1965 before joining Don Revie's side in 1972.
Cherry made 27 international appearances for England
Cherry made 27 international appearances for England
"In his first full season with the Whites, he helped Leeds reach and played in both the 1973 European Cup Winners' Cup final and the 1973 FA Cup final.
"In the 1973/74 season, Cherry played 38 times in the league as the Whites were crowned champions of the First Division for the second time, setting a then-Football League record of 29 games undefeated in the process.
"He also helped Leeds reach the 1975 European Cup final and went on to succeed Billy Bremner as the club's captain in 1976.
"As well as impressing at club level, where he was named the club's Player of the Year in 1981, Cherry made 27 appearances for England, captaining his country on one occasion.
Huddersfield Town are devastated to learn of the passing of former player and director Trevor Cherry.
The thoughts and prayers of everyone at #htafc are with Trevor's wife Sue, sons Darren and Ian, daughter Danielle and his five grandchildren.
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) April 29, 2020
"As part of the club's recent centenary celebrations, Trevor, alongside fellow members of the Revie team, was granted the Freedom of the City of Leeds by Leeds City Council.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Trevor's wife Sue, sons Darren and Ian, daughter Danielle and his five grandchildren at this difficult time."
Huddersfield Town, for whom Cherry made 188 appearances, added: "Trevor was an inspiration to many, and his name will always be written in Huddersfield Town folklore."
After spending a decade at Leeds, Cherry left Elland Road to become player-manager of Bradford.
Monday, April 27, 2020
COVID19: FIFA PROPOSES ALLOWING TEAMS TO MAKE FIVE SUBSTITUTIONS PER MATCH WHEN FOOTBALL RETURNS
FIFA has proposed allowing teams to make up to five substitutions per match to help players cope with the return to action after the coronavirus pandemic.
Teams will be afforded only three slots - plus the half-time break - during the match to make their changes, in a bid to avoid unnecessary stoppages.
The proposals are an acknowledgement of the increased demands likely to be placed on players when football returns. They will be coming off the back of a long lay-off due to the pandemic, and matches are likely to be played every few days as leagues seek to make up for lost time.
FIFA's plans are subject to approval from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is responsible for the laws of the game and is already considering the proposal.
Protection of player welfare will be the main priority when a decision is reached, and that is expected to be made later this week.
A FIFA spokesperson said: "When competitions resume, such competitions are likely to face a congested match calendar with a higher-than-normal frequency of matches played in consecutive weeks.
"Safety of the players is one of FIFA's main priorities. One concern in this regard is that the higher-than-normal frequency of matches may increase the risk of potential injuries due to a resulting player overload.
In light of this, and in light of the unique challenge faced globally in delivering competitions according to the originally foreseen calendar, FIFA proposes that a larger number of substitutions be temporarily allowed, at the discretion of the relevant competition organiser.
"In competitions where less than five substitutions are currently allowed, each team would now be given the possibility to use up to five substitutions during the match, with the possibility of an additional substitution remaining during extra time, where relevant."
If approved, FIFA's proposals would also cover the 2020/21 season, as well as the current campaign.
They would also apply to all international matches until the end of next year - including Euro 2020, which has been postponed until June 2021.
In light of this, and in light of the unique challenge faced globally in delivering competitions according to the originally foreseen calendar, FIFA proposes that a larger number of substitutions be temporarily allowed, at the discretion of the relevant competition organiser.
"In competitions where less than five substitutions are currently allowed, each team would now be given the possibility to use up to five substitutions during the match, with the possibility of an additional substitution remaining during extra time, where relevant."
If approved, FIFA's proposals would also cover the 2020/21 season, as well as the current campaign.
They would also apply to all international matches until the end of next year - including Euro 2020, which has been postponed until June 2021
Premier League targets behind-closed-doors-return in June
The Premier League will hold further talks this week, as it targets a return behind closed doors in June - and it has the backing of the government.
All 20 clubs will hold their latest conference call on Friday, armed with the knowledge that the country's political leaders are also keen for the season to resume when possible.
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Oliver Dowden said in the House of Commons: "I personally have been in talks with the Premier League, with a view to getting football up and running as soon as possible in order to support the whole football community.
"But, of course, any such moves would have to be consistent with public health guidance."
The government's next review of current lockdown restrictions is due on May 7, as detailed planning continues under a 'Project Restart' programme.
Prime minister Boris Johnson said on Monday: "I ask you to contain your impatience."
Johnson says the UK is "making progress" and "beginning to turn the tide" against the coronavirus pandemic but urged people to maintain social distancing restrictions
Sport will only resume when the government is satisfied its own measures are in place.
The Premier League, along with other sports, will have to meet specific criteria before a return including testing arrangements for participants, paid for by sporting authorities or clubs, and ensuring measures are in place to avoid fans gathering outside matches.
It has yet to be decided whether games will resume at approved stadiums, or at a neutral venue such as St George's Park.
The Premier League remains committed to completing the remaining 92 games of the season, in line with UEFA's recommendation
