Football: La Liga eyeing May return, says league boss Tebas

Javier Tebas warned Spanish clubs could lose as much as €1 billion. PHOTO: REUTERS

MADRID (AFP) - La Liga could return to action as early as next month, its president Javier Tebas said on Tuesday (April 7), as the league awaits a chance to restart following the coronavirus shutdown.

Tebas also warned Spanish clubs could lose as much as €1 billion (S$1.5 billion) if the season is not completed, pushing football bosses in the country to search for a late finish to the campaign.

"The different scenarios we have been looking at with Uefa to go back to competing are most probably starting on May 29, June 6-7 or June 28," Tebas said.

"We're not just looking at what happens in Spain... the job is to get all our calendars (in Europe) in line so all the competitions are able to finish together."

However, he said no team training could take place until after the state of emergency ends in Spain - currently set until April 26. Should that end date be pushed back the chances of restarting in May would likely vanish.

Tebas said "it is not an option" to cancel the season given the massive hit to revenue Spain's top clubs would have to absorb, with €150 million gone even if La Liga finishes the season with fans at matches.

"We are not considering at all that we will not get back to playing matches," he said.

"It is not just league revenues, it is league revenues plus all the other revenues from the Champions League that teams wouldn't receive.

"We are talking about €1 billion if we don't get back to playing, €300 million if we play behind closed doors and €150 million if we do to get back to playing with fans."

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed nearly 14,000 people in Spain, the world's second hardest-hit country after Italy in terms of deaths.

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