England seems to want to follow the German example (the Bundesliga resumes its rights this Saturday). Indeed, the British government envisaged this Monday a resumption of sports competitions and in particular the Football Championship behind closed doors from June 1, the day of the deconfinement in England. This then reinforces the Premier League in its plan to end its 2019-2020 season despite the coronavirus epidemic.
This hypothetical resumption of sport can only take place at the beginning of June if the complete deconfinement starts well on June 1 and if the health statistics allow it. The document of the English government plans to authorize "cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed doors for broadcasting (TV, radio, internet), while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contacts". The return to matches with spectators in stadiums "may not be fully possible until much later depending on the decline in the number of new cases (positive for coronavirus)," said the document.
End the 2019-2020 Premier League season at all costs?
These government statements are in any case a more than positive signal for a resumption of the Premier League season. Especially since the English Championship is currently working and debating on the “Project Restart”. A project that aims to return to training next week in order to play the remaining 92 games between early June and late July. Meetings to be held behind closed doors and in a limited number of stadiums. A general assembly of the Premier League is also held on Monday on this subject to vote the adoption or not of this "Project Restart". There are many resistances to this project. The last six in the Premier League would be against a recovery in neutral terrains. To agree to implement this plan, however, 14 teams must vote favorably. But according to the Daily Mail , the English Federation would like the season to be played "on sports merit", whether it comes to an end or not. Which means there should be three descents. To save themselves, Norwich, Aston Villa and Bournemouth, respectively last, 19th and 18th, may ultimately have to support the famous "Restart" project.
However, the measures envisaged by the British government as part of a very gradual deconfinement could disrupt plans to resume other sports such as cricket and Formula 1 because of restrictions on international travel. The United Kingdom could thus impose a strict 14-day isolation on anyone arriving by air on its territory, with the exception of a "short list" of countries which would escape it.
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