Italian clubs are willing to wait several months before returning to action in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the Biancocelesti official says
Lazio sporting director Igli Tare says the Italian government has no right to order the football season to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Football teams in Italy were allowed to return to individual training this week as the country moves to ease lockdown restrictions.
Although the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) remains hopeful of getting the football season underway again, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora warned clubs said there is “no way” football can be played in the near future.
Tare, however, says the decision should not lie in government hands as clubs are willing to wait several months to return to action.
“I heard that the order could come from the Minister of Sport this week,” Tare said to Sky Sport Italia. “But that would not be within his remit. FIFA, UEFA and FIGC have explained that the leagues must be finished within the calendar year.
“If we don’t start the league again in June, we will do it when it’s possible. I’m also talking about August and September and taking advantage of the fact that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be in December.
“I think finishing the season would be a great experience for the next one.”
Lazio will begin testing their players for Covid-19 when they return to the training ground this week, says Tare, who says he is proud of his club’s response to the pandemic.
“We will start again on Wednesday, but as soon as we start the tests we will understand if we can bring forward this date for the resumption.
“Lazio was the first club to stop playing and training for this pandemic. We were among the few teams in Italy to comply with every government order from start to finish.
“No player left the city. We appeared to be aggressive in our communication for a simple reason: we have analysed how much football, as the third largest industry in the country, faces serious damage.
“It was very important for the players to receive signs of progress. When we heard that we would return to training we celebrated in the chat.”
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