Italy’s Serie A gets green light for June 20 restart

ROME, (Reuters) Italy’s top-flight Serie A soccer league has been given the go-ahead to restart on June 20 following the novel coronavirus stoppage, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said yesterday.

He added that there was a possibility the resumption of the season, which was suspended on March 9, could be preceded by Italian Cup matches one week earlier. The head of Serie B said the second tier also hoped to restart on June 20.

“Italy is starting up again and it’s only right that football can also get going,” Spadafora told reporters after a conference call with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

Serie A will be the fourth of Europe’s top five domestic leagues to restart following the Bundesliga, which resumed on May 16, and La Liga and the English Premier League, which are also due to get under way again in June.

The French League ended the season last month with Paris StGermain named Ligue 1 champions with 10 games left. Spadafora said the Italian government approved health and safety measures suggested by the FIGC plus a backup plan in case the league had to be stopped again. “In the light of this we can say that the championship can start again on June 20,” he said.

The decision ended a tortuous two months of negotiations during which tempers frayed with Spadafora at one point complaining about millionaire salaries paid to players and saying that Serie A clubs lived in a bubble.

“We’ve had an extraordinary period, full of obstacles and pressures, with consistency, determination and spirit of service,” said Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino.

“For Serie A, the future must mean going back to being the most beautiful championship in the world.”

There are 12 rounds of matches still to play, plus four outstanding games from previous rounds.