EPL stars set to revolt over plans to play behind closed doors
Premier League players will revolt over any plan to finish the domestic season behind closed doors, according to reports.
The 2019-20 campaign is currently suspended across the English football pyramid after the coronavirus outbreak wiped out most sport across the world.
No football will be played again until at least April 30, but officials have sought to calm fears that the season could be declared null and void by committing to completing fixtures, however long it takes.
But now that Euro 2020 has been pushed back to next summer, a window has opened up for matches to be wrapped up, and now the Premier League is lining up a return to action in empty stadiums as early as May 2 or 3, according to the Mirror.
However, the report claims that stars from all levels of the game will oppose the idea and have voiced their concerns. Players are said to fear for their safety if they take to the pitch despite government instructions over social distancing, and are fearful that they could pass on the virus to their loved ones.
They are also worried about the extra strain that would be placed on emergency services if football was to resume, the report adds, and don’t want loyal supporters to be ‘locked out of stadiums’.
The stars have voiced their thoughts to the PFA, with chief executive Gordon Taylor saying: ‘Players do have concerns and understandably so. It would not be our preferred option but everything has to be considered at the moment.’
The Premier League is understood to be under pressure from TV companies to get matches back underway, with multi-billion-pound contracts with major broadcasters at risk.
The likes of Sky and BT Sport are currently struggling to fulfil their schedules with no action on offer, with Sky offering to suspend customer subscriptions.
Most Premier League stars are in self-isolation as the virus outbreak brings a halt to everyday life in the UK following government action to keep people at home except for shopping, exercise, attending work or a medical appointment.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta became the first high-profile figure in football to be diagnosed with the coronavirus, although he has since recovered, while Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi has also been hit by the disease.
Other clubs have reported that some of their players had shown symptoms, including Leicester, Bournemouth and Everton. The aim for top-flight sides now will be to attain a clean bill of health and be ready to restart whenever they are given the green light to return to the pitch.
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There will be plenty to play for when action does resume, with Liverpool still waiting to confirm themselves as Premier League champions and a top-four place is up for grabs with Chelsea battling Manchester United, Sheffield United and Wolves.
Meanwhile, relegation is far from certain as Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich look to escape from danger. In the Championship West Brom and Leeds United are hoping to secure promotion to the Premier League, with a host of teams in the reckoning for the play-offs.