Italy’s Government is expected to order a continuation of the lockdown until May 3, but Serie A players could go into a training retreat before that for multiple tests after the coronavirus crisis.
The number of new deaths and cases are steadily falling, while far more are leaving intensive care and hospital with a full recovery.
The curve has been flattened, but Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte warned in a statement “we are not yet in the condition to open up businesses, because we’d risk wasting all the good results we achieved” during the lockdown.
“We are already working on Phase 2, so will dialogue with a pool of experts alongside the scientific committee.”
A new decree is expected over the next few days that will extend the lockdown order until May 3.
However, Sky Sport Italia point out there could be some exemptions, for example for libraries, bookstores and potentially also athletes.
The FIGC already drew up a protocol for how clubs and medical staff will ease their players back to work, including thorough tests for lung and heart performance under stress.
There will also be blood tests, mainly to check for the antibodies that show players are either immune or have recovered from COVID-19.
All this is likely to take time, so it’s reported by Sky Sport Italia that squads could go into a training retreat towards the end of April and kept separate while the tests are performed.
The entire facilities will also have to be cleaned every day using disinfectant, players made to train in very small groups to begin with and a skeleton staff only allowed to keep crowding down.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com