TURIN, ITALY - MARCH 08: Paulo Dybala of Juventus celebrates after scoring the goal of 2-0 during ... [+]
Italian soccer is slowly showing timid signs of coming back to normal after a 9-week suspension due to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic.
In a press conference held on Sunday evening, Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte allowed players to return to individual training from May 4, while group training on team premises is set to restart on May 18.
"Like many Italians, I initially found it strange that the championship could be interrupted or suspended, but I think that even the most ardent fan understands that there wasn't any alternative,” Conte said.
The prime minister said that he is working in close contact with a task force composed by virologist and scientist managed by Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora, “in order to evaluate if there are the conditions to allow the season to be completed.”
“We need to further conduct all the discussions to ensure that if we do reach that stage, we'll do so in the utmost safety and security. We are passionate about sport and don't want our athletes to get sick” he concluded.
TURIN, ITALY - 2020/04/01: An image on television of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, ... [+]
The government announced the measure, outlining the details of ‘Phase Two,’ which is set to begin on May 5, after the end of the lockdown.
Soccer players will also be routinely tested with both swabs and blood tests to ensure isolation measures are promptly implemented in case of positive testing to COVID-19.
If everything goes according to plan, Serie A could be back on track to resume the remaining 12 fixtures in late May or the beginning of June.
The best-case scenario foresees the domestic season to be completed by the end of July, leaving August for the European competitions like Champions and Europa League.
Italy was able to ease to lockdown after registering significant drops in positive cases of COVID-19, with more than 1,000 hospital beds freed up since Sunday, according to the number given by the World Health Organization.
CATANIA, ITALY - APRIL 23:The Infectious Diseases Department of San Marco Hospital in Catania where ... [+]
The measure follows the publication of a protocol to resume league football in Italy issued by FIGC—the Italian soccer federation.
Published on April 18, the plan aims at completing the soccer season while at the same time safeguarding players and coaches, enforcing thorough and rigorous health guidelines for the teams.
However, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora warned that the plan needs improvement before being approved.
“The FIGC presented a protocol last night and the scientific committee considered it insufficient, so it needs adjustments,” Spadafora told last Sunday in an interview with Italian television.
“Only from that moment, when the protocol is agreed, can we decide whether or not to restart football. Serie A is not inclined towards suspending the season,” he then reassured.
FIGC president Gabriele Gravina replied saying he is “ready to cooperate with authorities to make amendments where necessary.”
A statement on the FIGC website reads: “We’re ready to supplement and modify the health protocol by incorporating recommendations from the Commission and CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) as well as recognizing the FMSI (Italian Sports Medicine Federation) as a scientific reference to harmonize everything. Once improved, there will be all the prerequisites to get the definitive go-ahead starting from 18 May”.
The last game played in Serie A dates back to March 9, when Sassuolo defeated Brescia with a whopping 3-0 score.
