English Premier League may resume 2019-20 season on June 19: Reports

After a suspension of more than two months due to the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus, the English Premier League may finally resume the 2019-20 season on June 19 and the date could be announced after a meeting on Thursday this week.

According to a report in English outlet Daily Mirror, three key meetings on the next three days – starting from Tuesday – can seal the fate of the Premier League and give the green light to restart the season on June 19.

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The players and managers will meet with the Premier League officials and representatives from the Professional Footballers’ Association and League Managers’ Association to discuss phase two of training guidelines introduced by the United Kingdom government on Monday.

On Wednesday they will vote whether or not to introduce the phase two guidelines which clear the athletes across the country to begin “close-contact” and “competitive” training.

The clubs will hold their next meeting to discuss the plans of ‘Project Restart’ on Thursday and a possible resumption date of the season is expected to come out.

The Daily Mirror report suggests that the Premier League is hoping to make the return on June 12 especially after witnessing the successful restart of the Bundesliga.

However, two positive cases of COVID-19 last week have hindered the Premier League’s hope of a return. The total positive cases of coronavirus have now risen to eight.

996 tests were conducted on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for the second round of testing. In the first round 748 players and club staff were tested, six positive cases for coronavirus were detected at three Premier League clubs as the players and staff prepared for the return to training.

Several players like Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Hary Kane, Tammy Abraham, Troy Deeney and Dany Rose and managers have all questioned Premier League’s urgency to resume the competition. They are likely to prefer a later date like June 26 or afterward.

Thus, a compromise could be made in the meeting on Thursday and June 19 might be finalised.