The Premier League is desperate to restart as soon as possible. Now, some of the league's biggest players are at war with bosses over whether that's a good idea.
- The Premier League and its players are at odds as to whether the league should be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- The division was suspended indefinitely on March 13, however plans to resume the campaign in mid-June are now being sent to clubs, according to The Evening Standard.
- A number of players, including Sergio Aguero, have voiced concern over the potential return due to the risk to themselves and their families.
- iNews reports that one of biggest drivers for the season being resumed is pressure from broadcasters and sponsors, who could potentially be out of pocket if the league is halted.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
A number of Europe's biggest soccer leagues have now called a halt to their domestic seasons.
On Tuesday, French prime minister Edouard Philipp announced that Ligue 1, the country's top division, was to be scrapped with 11 games to play. Later in the week Paris Saint Germain, which was 12 points clear at the top, was named Champions, whilst Amiens and Toulouse were relegated.
The Dutch Eredivisie and the Belgian Pro League also cancelled their campaigns earlier in the month. Italy's sport minister, Vincenzo Spadafora, says Serie A is likely to follow suit, according to Reuters.
Going against the grain however, the English Premier League remains hopeful of resuming, having stopped indefinitely on March 13. According to The Evening Standard, all 20 of the league's clubs are set to receive details of "Project Restart" — a plan to resume the top-flight by mid-June — on Friday.
Some players are skeptical about the project, however
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is one of the most prominent figures to voice concern over the Premier League's potential return.
"The majority of players are scared because they have children and families," said the 31-year-old, speaking with Argentine TV station El Chiringuito, as per The Telegraph.
"I'm scared, but I'm with my girlfriend here and I'm not going to be in contact with other people. I'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend.
"They're saying that there are people that have it and don't have any symptoms but still infect you. That's why I am here at home. Maybe I have the illness and I don't even know. When one person is ill we will think 'oh what's happening here?'"
Glenn Murray of Brighton and Hove Albion is another to question the project due to the resources it would pull away from Britain's National Health Service.
"I understand why people are desperate to get football on. I am one of those people," Murray said, according to The Guardian. "But it's got to be done in a sensible way, and at the right time, in a way that keeps not only the players and staff safe but there is so much that goes into a football game.
"There are going to be ambulances at training and at games: is it fair to take that [resource] from the NHS? It's not as if it's just two squads facing each other. There's a lot more input to it and it puts a lot more people at risk."
Murray added: "Everyone is in different situations. I have children at home. I wouldn't want to jeopardize them. Some footballers have newly born children who might be more susceptible to getting the disease. Some are living with elderly parents. It is a really difficult situation to agree on."
Finances versus human life
One of the biggest drivers for the Premier League season being resumed is pressure from broadcasters and sponsors, who could potentially be millions of pounds out of pocket if the league is halted, reports iNews.
Simon Leaf, head of sport for leading sports lawyers Mishcon de Reya, told iNews that while sponsors will likely have "force majeure" clauses which allow them to walk away from clubs if the season cannot be completed, it is in no one's best interests for that to happen.
"The reality is most people wouldn't terminate their contract fully," Leaf said. "Every situation is different. Some sponsors going through significant financial pain at the moment may look to exit long-term contracts early. Most would want to continue the partnership, but would want recognition they have lost out from this period. They could, perhaps, pay 50% less next year, or have a new pool of rights, such as more time on the big screen or more prominence.
"The last thing anyone wants is to terminate an agreement and end up in a lengthy court battle that could prove to be expensive and distracting. In long-term sponsorship relationships people tend to want to avoid early termination and reach a compromise that keeps everyone happy."
Whether that "compromise" is the return of the league at the expense of the players' safety remains to be seen.
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