La Liga: Sevilla and Real Betis set to kick off restarted season on 11 June

Spain is set to join Germany and Portugal in resuming matches without spectators after prime minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that the league would be allowed to start up again

Richard Martin
Monday 25 May 2020 08:38 BST
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Real Betis' Emerson Aparecido (L) fights for the ball with Sevilla's Sergio Reguilon
Real Betis' Emerson Aparecido (L) fights for the ball with Sevilla's Sergio Reguilon (AFP via Getty Images)

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Real Betis and Sevilla will kick La Liga back into action on 11 June.

Spain is set to join Germany and Portugal in resuming matches without spectators after prime minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that the league would be allowed to start up again from June along with other sectors of the economy.

All organised football in Spain was suspended indefinitely on 12 March. Spain is among the countries hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, with 235,290 infections and 28,752 people dying.

All non-professional leagues have been cancelled although clubs in the top two divisions have resumed training in groups of up to 10 players.

"There is a possibility that there is a game on 11 June, which would be the only match that night and perhaps there will be a tribute to all the people who have died (from the virus)," league president Javier Tebas said on Sunday.

"I hope that date can be confirmed and we would like the game to be the Seville derby, kicking off at 10pm."

Tebas said the next objective for the league was to progress to full training.

"Right now that's our main goal, and if we can achieve that then we can start to bring forward the return of the competition. Our aim is to be able to announce the first four rounds of fixtures next week," he added.

"The government's announcement took us by surprise but it shows that professional football is very important to this country."

Champions Barcelona lead La Liga by two points over nearest challengers Real Madrid with 11 matches remaining.

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