Football: Austria’s Bundesliga to resume on June 2

Zlatko Junuzovic (front) and Noah Okafor of FC Red Bull Salzburg during a training session on May 12, 2020. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

VIENNA (REUTERS) - Austria's Bundesliga, the country's professional soccer league, will resume on June 2 and hold matches every three days to clear the backlog built up during the coronavirus shutdown, the league's chief executive Christian Ebenbauer said on Wednesday (May 13).

The government on Tuesday gave the green light for the league to resume and after a meeting of clubs on Wednesday Ebenbauer said it would restart four days after the Austrian Cup final on May 29.

"Today is a good day," Ebenbauer said in a video statement. "I am glad to announce that under the current status quo and if things remain as they are soccer will return to the pitch on May 29. We will start with the OFB Uniqa Cup on May 29 and a couple of days later, on June 2, the Tipico Bundesliga will continue."

The top-flight teams returned to training on April 20, with players divided into small groups.

Full training is due to resume on May 15, and players will be tested before each match.

To get through the fixture schedule by the first week of July, matches will be held every three days.

The Austrian Football Federation's (OFB) cup final will see Red Bull Salzburg, the Bundesliga champions who are currently second in the league, face second division Austria Lustenau.

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