Arsenal has advised its players, who were to resume training on Tuesday, to stay at home even though they completed their 14-day isolation period after manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the coronavirus. Arteta's positive test forced the team to go into self-isolation, while the Premier League has suspended the soccer season until April 30.
The Spanish soccer calendar has been postponed until further notice, LaLiga and the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) said in a joint statement on Monday. All organized soccer in Spain had been postponed for two weeks due to the spread of the coronavirus but was initially due to resume on April 3.
The statement said a joint commission between the two bodies had agreed to postpone all professional soccer competitions until the Spanish government considered they could start again "without creating any health risk.”
Arsene Wenger watched on sullenly from his seat on the bench as the final whistle blew. Having entered the game against Chelsea just four points behind their league-leading opponents, the Gunners were ripped to shreds by Jose Mourinho's side in a lopsided 6-0 defeat. Wenger could not have imagined his 1,000th match in charge of Arsenal would play out like this.
MADRID — Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz has died aged 76, his son Lorenzo said on Saturday.
The former Real president was taken to hospital on Tuesday, with newspaper El Mundo saying he had been suffering from the novel coronavirus. His son said he had a respiratory disease.
Comunicado Oficial: fallecimiento de Lorenzo Sanz.#RealMadrid
Spain-based China international Wu Lei has confirmed he has tested positive for coronavirus but says he is on his way to making a full recovery.
The Chinese Football Association announced on Saturday that Wu, who plays for Espanyol in LaLiga, had contracted the coronavirus and the 28-year-old confirmed he is now self-isolating.
Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic is back home in Serbia while the soccer world remains on hiatus to combat the spread of coronavirus. The Serbian president, however, isn’t too happy with the 22-year-old.
Real Madrid has been on lock down since one of its basketball players, former Georgia Bulldog Trey Thompkins, tested positive for coronavirus. All players and staff were asked to self-isolate and LaLiga suspended play completely.
LONDON — Manchester United and Manchester City are the latest Premier League clubs to spring into action to help their communities during the coronavirus pandemic, joining forces to donate 100,000 pounds ($117,000) to support local food banks.
Responding to an initiative already run by fans of both clubs, City and United will donate 50,000 pounds each to the Trussell Trust, a support network of more than 1,200 food banks.
LONDON — England manager Gareth Southgate said he will be "prouder than ever" to lead his side into next year's European championship once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided but has called on fans to support the real heroes during the crisis.
Southgate was expecting to meet up with his squad this weekend to prepare for internationals against Italy and Denmark at Wembley, key fixtures in preparation for Euro 2020.
ROME — The President of the Italian Players’ Union (AIC) believes it would be nonsensical and dangerous for soccer teams to resume training next week as Italy battles with a devastating coronavirus outbreak.
All sport has been suspended since March 9 and a nationwide lockdown enforced, as the country attempts to stem the spread of a virus that has now killed 4,032 people, more than any other nation.
ROME — Italian soccer clubs, players and fans have banded together to raise millions of euros to support the country’s stretched health system amid the devastating coronavirus outbreak.
Thursday was one of the bleakest days in Italy’s battle against COVID-19 as the death toll rose to 3,405, overtaking China as the highest number of fatalities from the disease in one country.
A state of nationwide lockdown remains in place as the government looks to control the spread of the virus and all sports events have been suspended since March 9.