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'We are afraid' - Eibar fear 'terrible consequences' of La Liga return

Eibar have admitted that they fear the potentially "terrible consequences" of allowing La Liga to return too soon from its coronavirus suspension. 

The league has been on hiatus since March but has taken the first steps toward a return after the Spanish government gave permission for clubs to return to their training grounds.

All players will be permitted to train on an individual basis, but only after taking a test for Covid-19.

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"We hope to start playing again in June and finish our 2019-20 season this summer," said La Liga president Javier Tebas.

But Eibar, who currently sit 16th in the Liga table, have said they are concerned that returning to the pitch could cause another outbreak of the coronavirus, which has already killed more than 25,000 people in Spain.

“We are afraid to start an activity in which we cannot reach the minimum recommendation of the experts, physical distancing," a club statement said.

"It unsettles us that, for doing what we love the most, we could get infected, infect our families and friends and even contribute to a new outbreak of the pandemic, with the terrible consequences that would have for the population.

“The most important thing should be everyone’s health, and it’s the moment that this idea comes to the fore with facts and not only with words. Only with this clear premise would it make sense to return to the competition. We want guarantees. We demand responsibility.”

Spain's Sports and Culture Minister Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes has said he shares Eibar's concerns, admitting that he is still unsure if it will be safe to resume La Liga play.

"Our priority is health, the right to health, the right to life and because of that it all depends in finding conditions for not risking anybody's right to life and right to health," Rodriguez Uribes said on Tuesday.

"Not only the CSD (National Sports Council), but the Ministry of Sports and Culture, the LFP (National Professional Football League), and RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) are thinking about organising things well in case La Liga can be finished, but this depends on meeting sanitary criteria.

"We are doing our homework and all sports federations, not only football, are working to open a road and trying to follow it in case the conditions of the pandemic allow it, but it all would depend on these conditions being met."

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