Aguero scared to return to training, playing

LONDON • Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero believes that many Premier League players will be fearful of resuming the season in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially putting their families at risk in the rush to get back on the pitch.

The Argentinian has said the thought of returning to training and playing matches frightens him - and the feeling will be mutual among lots of players.

"The majority of players are scared because they have family, they have children, they have babies," he told El Chiringuito TV.

"When we go back, I imagine that we will be very tense, we will be very careful and the moment someone feels ill, you will think: 'What's gone on there?' It does scare me."

The coronavirus has killed over 26,000 people in the United Kingdom and infected more than 170,000. The mortality toll is also the third-highest in the world, behind the United States and Italy.

Premier League clubs met yesterday to discuss plans to resume training and complete the season, but Aguero believes the nature of the virus will leave players at risk until a vaccine is readily available.

"There are people who have it, but they don't have symptoms and they can infect you. You can be infected and you don't know anything about it," he said.

Chelsea's Germany defender Antonio Rudiger has also questioned whether it is morally right to continue the season while deaths around the world continue to rise.

He believes it must be clear there is no danger of spreading infection further with a Premier League re-start.

"If we continue to play and there is a danger, and we ignore that while people are dying somewhere in the world, I don't know if that would sit right on my conscience," he told Germany's ZDF.

"If everything fits and it comes from those in charge that it's okay, there's no danger, then we can start. But if there is a danger that it will start again and more people will get infected, (then there should be no restart)."

He added that, if the season cannot get back under way and is cancelled, runaway leaders Liverpool should be handed the league title, their first since 1990.

"Honestly, as far as I'm concerned, they can give Liverpool the title. At the end of the day they deserve it, they've had a great season," he said.

"They were going to win the thing anyway, so the title is theirs ethically. Of course, I hope that the season can be finished and it will be sporting for everyone."

REUTERS