Cancelled/Deferred/Quarantined
Real Madrid under quarantine; La Liga suspends Spain’s top two divisions for two weeks UEFA might take a call on postponing Euro 2020 by a year at its meeting next week ATP cancels all action for six weeks, including Miami Open & Monte Carlo Masters
BARCELONA: The coronavirus outbreak brought football in Spain to a halt on Thursday as Real Madrid put its team under medical quarantine and the league announced it was stopping play for at least two weeks. Real Madrid said it ordered the players from its football and basketball teams to remain in isolation after one of the basketball players tested positive for the virus.
The move had a cascading effect as the Champions League last-16 second leg matches between Manchester City and Real Madrid and Lyon vs Juventus, scheduled for March 17, were postponed.
Real Madrid said the football team was affected because it shares training facilities with the basketball team.
Local media reported that the players have been given specific training routines to keep in shape at home.
The decision by the club came moments before the Spanish league announced that the next two rounds of the top two soccer divisions will be suspended because of outbreak. The league said in a statement that it had taken the decision after becoming aware of “the quarantine established in Real Madrid and the possible cases in players from other clubs,” without mentioning those suspected cases.
No player from a Spanish football team has been reported to have the virus.
The Spanish government had already ordered this week that all sporting events in the country would be held without spectators as the southern European nation grapples to control the outbreak. Spain has nearly 3,000 virus infections and 84 resulting deaths.
“People are our priority,” Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales said after meeting with officials of the league and the players’ association.
“We had come to the opinion a few days ago that Spanish soccer had to stop, but we wanted to listen to the league (officials). Hopefully we can recover the games. We are working in every scenario.”
Rubiales said it was too early to decide how they would resolve theoretical questions such as how to determine the league champion or relegation spots if the competition is unable to restart in the coming weeks.
Barcelona lead the standings with 11 matches to go. The calendar for the league was set to end in May, just weeks before the European Championship.
Rubiales said sports authorities will decide if the stoppage needs to be prolonged on March 25. The club also said that it is closing its training centre and that it has recommended all staff who work at the centre to remain in isolation.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHES POSTPONED
LONDON: Manchester City’s Champions League last 16, second leg with Real Madrid and Lyon’s trip to Juventus became the latest high-profile football matches to be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, UEFA confirmed on Thursday. Both matches were due to take place on Tuesday, March 17.
As it stands, Wednesday’s two last 16, second legs between Bayern Munich and Chelsea and Barcelona and Napoli are still set to go ahead behind closed doors.
“The decision to postpone Tuesday’s game was made in conjunction with UEFA and follows confirmation that players from Real Madrid will self-isolate for fifteen days,” City said in a statement. “The Club sends its best wishes to the players and staff at Real Madrid’s football and basketball teams.”
Serie A in Italy, the European country worst hit by the virus, has already suspended its matches until April 3. Matches have been suspended for two weeks in Spain, while France’s Ligue 1 will continue its season but without spectators.
No such restrictions have been put upon Premier League games with a full round of games set to take place this weekend. City’s home match with Arsenal that was due to take place on Wednesday is the only Premier League game to be abandoned so far.