HOW REAL MADRID AND BARCELONA WILL BENEFIT FROM LALIGA SUSPENSION

The world of football, just like any other form of business, is having to get used to a ‘new normal’ as everyone looks at how to best negotiate life post-pandemic.

A worldwide lockdown has arguably tested everyone to their limits, not least those elite athletes who rely on their fitness and who, despite working out at home, will have lost their competitive edge.

Quite how football can be played at this point, bearing in mind that social distancing rules are still in place Europe-wide is anyone’s guess, but the inherent need, from both a financial and mental aspect is obvious.

On Wednesday, LaLiga players returned to their clubs for the first round of testing, of which there’s anticipated to be two per player, per week until further notice.

The pictures of managers greeting their first team stars at a distance, all wearing gloves and masks, will likely be one of the defining images of this pandemic.

The German Bundesliga are a week or two ahead with their plans, and teams in the German top-flight have been training for some while now.

A return to matches is expected as of Saturday, May 16, and that will surely give hope to all of the other European leagues that have professed a wish to continue.


The decisions of both the Dutch Eredivisie and the French Ligue Un should also be completely respected of course.

At the time of writing, it’s still too early to say exactly when the Spanish league will follow suit and allow their players to take up arms again and do battle.



With Real Madrid only two points behind leaders, Barcelona, there’s an awful lot still to play for, and declaring the Catalans as champions at this stage would be inherently wrong.

As long as the powers that be follow through with their desire to restart the 2019/20 campaign, which is subject to all criteria being rigorously tested and met, then the suspension will have actually seen some benefit for both of Spain’s ‘big two.’

Prior to the break, Barcelona were unable to call upon the services of Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez.

Though the Frenchman isn’t likely to be fit until August at the earliest, it’s believed that the Uruguayan isn’t too far away from a return to competitive action, and his goals in the latter stages of the campaign could help fire the Blaugranes to another title.

For Real Madrid, Marco Asensio has been a long-term absentee, but he too is nearing full fitness and should be available soon for Zinedine Zidane.

Eden Hazard is, apparently, a month away from playing again, and if we factor in that the resumption of the league is a couple of weeks away at best, with 11 matches still to play, then the Belgian is likely to be able to play a part in at least nine matches.

That could be crucial in the run in as Los Blancos go all out for a much-desired triumph.