LaLiga teams save measures for cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants

After the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, football returned. LaLiga prepared protocols to avoid contagion and 19/20 ended, although not without problems. Now, in the middle of the second wave, LaLiga Santander and LaLiga Smartbank have started again, whose teams will save without major problem the first restriction measures applied at the national level and that are already operating in the Community of Madrid from this Saturday at 10 p.m.

Health Minister Salvador Illa met this Tuesday with Enrique Ruiz Escudero, health officer of the Community of Madrid, to agree on measures for the region, whose data are of concern and are increasing every day. After that meeting, the national executive proposed a series of measures to be applied in all municipalities that exceed 100,000 inhabitants as long as they had a cumulative incidence of more than 500 cases per 100,000 people in the last two weeks, more than 10% positive in their PCR tests and 35% or more of occupied ICU beds in their region.

That plan was put to a vote in the Interterritorial Health Council and had a majority of votes in favor. Although with the opposition of the Community of Madrid, Catalonia, Galicia, Ceuta and Andalusia, these measures came into force limiting social gatherings, less capacity in the hotel and commercial establishments, wakes, places of worship and also in sports centers. Also with mobility restrictions, only being able to go to work, for care of the elderly or dependent people, assistance to educational centers. This is happening right now in the city of Madrid and also in several municipalities of the homonymous community (Alcalá de Henares, Alcobendas, Alcorcón, Fuenlabrada, Getafe, Leganés, Móstoles, Parla and Torrejón) which are the only ones that meet the requirements to apply this measure throughout the national territory.

Like the rest of society, the players and members of LaLiga teams would have to adjust to this measure on a personal level but, for now, it does not affect them at a professional level since they are governed by the protocols designed by LaLiga to continue the competition safely. In fact, Only six teams of those that are active in the professional categories of Spanish football are in cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants. In First, Eibar, Huesca and Villarreal would not enter into these measures while in Second only Lugo, Mirandés and Ponferradina would be fought. 36 of the 42 total teams could be subject to these restrictions, which, in principle, should not affect the continuity and the new normality of the competition. The Basque, Aragonese, Castellón, Galician and Castilian-Leonese cities do not exceed 100,000 inhabitants, so it was agreed that in that case each Autonomous Community will manage as it always considers in communication with the corresponding Ministry as has been happening since the new began. normality and sanitary competences were again transferred to each Autonomous Community.

For now Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Getafe, Leganés, Alcorcón, Fuenlabrada and Rayo Vallecano are subject to these measures although, in practice, they do not affect their daily work. He Saturday, the teams from the Community of Madrid that have trained have done so normally and there was no change in the matches held at the Vallecas Stadium (Rayo 3 – Málaga 0), at the Wanda Metropolitano (Atlético 0- Villarreal 0) or in Santo Domingo, where the potters also drew goalless against Real Zaragoza. Nor for Getafe, who played in San Sebastián against Real Sociedad.

During general confinement and then, with phase changes in the first wave de-escalation, The teams were adjusting their routines in accordance with state regulations and also with the competition's anti-Covid-19 protocols, which are constantly updated in the face of changes in the pandemic situation.

New situation in Madrid

Regardless of the category as long as it is professional, the RFFM confirmed through a clarifying note that any soccer player with a professional contract should not have impediments to exercise their profession and that, with the corresponding safe conduct, they will not have mobility problems. With regard to competition at the state level, everything will be governed by the protocol approved by the Higher Sports Council. Thus, there will be no mobility restrictions despite being in restricted areas as long as they have the relevant accreditation of the Federation for the soccer players of Second B, Third, Iberdrola League, Iberdrola Challenge, 1st National Feminine and the national youth categories.

The situation is complicated for clubs in regional competition where the players will be able to move within restricted areas (within Madrid, Leganés, etc.) and between non-restricted areas but they will not be able to leave a prohibited area to another prohibited area or not. Nor from one without restricting to another with restrictions. In other words, the clubs in the regional category could lose several players for this reason. For example, a Leganés player could not go to train or play with his club in the city of Madrid, but if he plays for a Leganés club.

The CD Móstoles set the perfect example to understand how it would affect ensuring that its players in regional competitions will train in groups of six people while those who compete in the national team will do so with a maximum of 20 people, in addition to continuing with all the sanitary measures that they and the rest of the clubs have been applying since they were able to return to activity.

This situation did not disrupt the competitions in Madrid (the RFFM Cup was played this Saturday) but the friendlies. Real Madrid, for example, had no problems training for the match against Levante but Castilla, which changed the venue of their friendly from Valdebebas to Las Rozas due to restrictions due to the pandemic.