THE Premier League have reportedly been given a ‘tentative’ green light to resume in June behind closed doors despite the coronavirus crisis.
The top flight is edging closer to a return with the Premier League in advanced government talks to thrash out a plan.
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An emergency meeting involving the 20 clubs was held on Friday to try and come to an agreement in a desperate bid to complete the season which was KO’d back in March due to the coronavirus crisis.
But according to The Mirror there is a ‘tentative’ plan for the top flight to resume behind closed doors after the Premier League charted out an agreement with senior officials on a resumption of matches.
The number of confirmed cases and deaths from coronavirus have continued to skyrocket as Britain braces for “the peak” of the pandemic .
In principle, with top doctors and scientists estimating a peak potentially hitting over Easter weekend, strict guidelines will be put in place for matches.
Measures have also been discussed with league officials over keeping the players in a sterile environment and away from the public.
Fifa are reportedly ready to indefinitely extend the 2019/20 season, handing domestic leagues the power to decide their own fate in the coronavirus pandemic.
According to The Athletic, the decision over whether or not to cancel the Premier League season will therefore be made in England.
The chances of a null-and-void style cancellation are looking increasingly unlikely to league bosses who have the weight of potentially having to pay back over £750million in fees to broadcasters on their shoulders.
Taking the final matches abroad, behind closed doors or waiting longer to ensure fans can attend are all options on the table.
To ensure fans don’t try to attend games, there have also been talks with TV companies to extend the number of games screened during June, with some clubs even in favour of terrestrial channels broadcasting matches which would be a first for the competition.
But should the virus continue to sweep across the UK with increased devastating impacts, the Premier League is in no doubt that a return would have to be pushed back further.
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Supporters may even be allowed to attend matches in a best-case scenario, should the crisis begin to ease up this month but discussions about games behind closed doors has been the top focus of the Premier League plans.
And clubs were told at the meeting on Friday to start preparing for a possible June return, with players kickstarting their training in May.
Most clubs have nine games left to play and schedules will be drawn up on how to complete the rest of the games, as well as the FA Cup, with Liverpool looking to finally claim their first top flight title since 1990.
