La Liga would not have resumed had Real Madrid been on top: Ex-Barcelona boss

Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the Spanish League football match between Real Madrid and Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on August 24, 2019. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)


Former Barcelona President Joan Gaspart has said if Real Madrid were top of the points table before the league stopped, the Spanish La Liga football season would have ended without a resumption.

Barcelona are currently on top of the table with 58 points with arch-rivals Real Madrid two points behind them in second place.

All teams have played 27 matches before the league came to a grinding halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The league is planning to restart from next month.

“If Madrid had finished as leader before the confinement, LaLiga would have ended,” he told Tertulia del 10 del Barça, via AS.

Speaking about Brazil star Neymar moving back to Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain, he added: “I would love to see Neymar at Barcelona, I understand that he can still contribute.”

Gaspart was Barcelona President from 2000 to 2003.

La Liga President Javier Tebas has said he is hopeful that the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis would mark the restart of the league after it was stopped in March due to the pandemic. He also said full group training will start from June 1.

Heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona were among La Liga teams to resume training in groups of 14 players at a time on Monday.

All football in the country has been suspended since March in the wake of coronavirus pandemic that has left the entire world reeling.