PIQUE PRACTICE

Barca star Gerard: We’re training and feel at ease

SPAIN defenders Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos have put their support behind the return of La Liga next month.

The Barcelona and Real Madrid stars were back in training yesterday – with Real coach Zinedine Zidane wearing a protective face mask on the pitch.

La Liga president Javier Tebas wants matches to resume on June 12 with the first match planned to be a Friday-night derby between Sevilla and Real Betis.

Barca player Pique prefers more training time to prepare for matches, but said: “Our club doctors have explained everything very well – we feel at ease.

“I don’t like playing behind closed doors but to finish the season without playing again, even if we are at the top of the table, would be horrible. What the league is doing is logical. But June 12, that is only in a month. Before then, there will be no friendlies. I think a few more days to prepare wouldn’t be bad.”

Ramos, whose Real side are two points behind Barcelona in the title race, said: “The country needs football, above all as an economic support, but also a distraction for the people.

“I’m desperate to compete again, for La Liga to be normal again. We have to be disciplined so that we can eliminate this virus.”

Going into a long period of quarantine before matches has caused controversy among Spanish players, but Ramos said: “Germany has set the example and we have to follow. We like being with our families, but we have to be flexible, too.” The top-flight in Denmark, the Superliga, will resume on May 28 after a gap of more than two months due to the pandemic. Denmark yesterday entered its second phase of reopening society after a two-month lockdown, allowing football to resume.

One Belarusian Premier League match and one First Division game have been postponed due to suspected Covid-19 cases.

Belarus was the only European country still playing amid the pandemic, making it an unlikely draw for fans overseas where matches have been cancelled.

There are almost 24,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Belarus, with more than 130 deaths.