Football News: Review Of The Day 13th March 2020
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Review of the Day
Transfers
Seattle Sounders have sent Will Bruin to Tacoma Defiance on loan.
Free agent South African goalkeeper Dino Visser has signed for Crewe Alexandra on a short-term deal.
Injury Round-Up
Winger Nathan Holland's loan with Oxford United has ended after the 21 year old picked up a hamstring injury which ended his season. Holland has gone back to parent club West Ham United for treatment.
Former Everton youngster Antonee Robinson is to have treatment on his heart issue that caused a January move to AC Milan to fall through. The Wigan Athletic defender said: "This is an issue that needs sorting before I can play again. I wanted to update our supporters on my current situation as I have had a number of people asking if I'm ok and why I have not played since January. During my medical for a potential transfer to AC Milan on deadline day, an irregularity was picked up in my heart rhythm. Further testing was required to ensure the move could be finalised and ratified, though there was not enough time to complete this before the deadline. Since my return to Wigan, I have been training with the team whilst being monitored and I have undergone a period of testing and treatment. Following consultation with the club's medical staff and independent specialists, it has been decided that I will need a medical procedure later this month to address the irregularity in my heart rhythm - a procedure called an ablation."
Leicester City have been hit with a double blow as Portugese full-back Ricardo Pereira has damaged knee ligaments which have ruled him out of the rest of the season. England midfielder James Maddison will also be unavailable to the Foxes for the next couple of weeks because of a calf injury.
Coronavirus Latest
Reading have worries over their loanee from Torino, forward Lucas Boye. The 24 year old went back to Italy to have hernia surgery and travel restrictions have meant Boye has been unable to return. Reading's manager Mark Bowen said: "It's a question of how long he will be there and if and when he comes back at all."
The SPFL have warned Scottish teams that they can not help them financially should games need to be played behind closed doors. The statement explained that clubs needed "to examine their insurance arrangements. This is particularly important as the SPFL does not hold reserves. Every single penny of income from sponsorships, broadcast deals and cup revenue is already paid to the clubs as fees." So far the Scottish government have said that there are no plans to postpone football matches yet, though they are advising that gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled.
Celtic captain Scott Brown, whose club currently leads the SPFL by 13 points from bitter rivals Rangers, has said that the standings should stay as they are if the season is forced to end early. Brown said: "If it ends, it stays as it is. But the main thing is everyone is okay, they're all safe. We still obviously want to play football but we will just take it day by day and listen to what the SFA are saying. It's a serious situation we are all in and we want the best for everyone. I don't know what is going to happen. It seems to get worse day by day."
Both Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovakia have requested that their Euro 2020 play-off semi-finals are postponed. They are set to face Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland respectively on 26th March. Bosnia-Herzegovina has banned entry to citizens of Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Iran, South Korea and China and its FA stated that it "further informs Uefa that all BH nationals coming from these areas must be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine as well as self-isolation if they come from other areas where COVID has occurred. This means that most of our players would not be able to play a play-off game. The FF BH administration is in constant contact with Uefa, and according to the latest information the play-off matches will not be postponed due to the impossibility of setting new dates in the competition calendar. Accordingly, the FF BH expects further instructions from UEFA and will respect all recommendations, orders and instructions of the competent authorities regarding holding public events in Bosnia and Herzegovina."
La Liga in Spain, the Eredivisie in the Netherlands, Primeira Liga in Portugal and USA's Major League Soccer have all been suspended due to the coronavirus. The next two rounds of matches, at least, have been suspended in Spain after the Real Madrid squad went into quarantine. Madrid took action after a member of their basketball team, which trains at the same facilities, has tested positive. In Holland the government ban events of more than 100 people, so the Eredivisie said: "All matches in the Eredivisie and Keuken Kampioen Divisie [second tier] have been suspended for the next two match days because of the coronavirus outbreak." In America, the suspension of the NBA led to MLS following suit as MLS commissioner Don Garber said: "Our clubs were united today in the decision to temporarily suspend our season - based on the advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and other public health authorities, and in the best interest of our fans, players, officials and employees. We'd like to thank our fans for their continued support during this challenging time." Portugal initially announced a decision to play behind closed doors, before changing it to a full suspension for an indefinite period a few hours later.
Three Leicester City players have shown symptoms of the virus and gone into self-isolation. Manager Brendan Rodgers said: "We had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs. It would be a shame [if the Watford game were postponed], but the public's health is the most important in all of this. The game is all about the players and the fans and if you have one of those not there, it's obviously not the same." A Leicester statement explained further: "In recent days, all three players presented with extremely mild illness and were advised by club medical staff, consistent with current government guidance. All three players were subsequently advised by NHS 111 that their symptoms were consistent with common seasonal illness and that a seven-day period of self-isolation was appropriate as a precaution. There was no recommendation that further testing would be necessary. The club is in regular contact with the relevant players, whose symptoms remain mild and self-manageable."
The quarantine of the Real Madrid squad has led to UEFA postponed the second leg of their Champions League against Manchester City. The game was scheduled for 17th March and the second leg of Juventus and Olympique Lyonnais that was also due to play that day has also been postponed.
UEFA are to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of postponing Euro 2020 by a year.
Sampdoria's former Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini has tested positive for coronavirus, the second Serie A player to do so. A Sampdoria statement read: "Gabbiadini has a slight fever, but is otherwise fine. The club is activating all isolation procedures as set out by the authorities." Gabbiadini also released a statement to reassure fans that he was fine and to ask them to stay at home until the situation is sorted out.
Conmebol, the South American football federation, have asked FIFA to postpone this month's World Cup qualifiers on the continent.
The English Football League has released a statement to confirm that their games are to continue as normal for now: "In light of today's announcement by the UK Government, EFL matches will continue to take place as normal while the guidance from the relevant authorities remains that there is no medical rationale to close or cancel sporting events at this time. The EFL, however, will continue to work with Government and relevant stakeholders to further develop contingency plans to ensure the League is best placed to act as and when any potential restrictions may come into force. Immediately following the announcement by the Prime Minister, EFL Chair Rick Parry held discussions with the FA and Premier League and agreed on a consistent approach ahead of this weekend's round of fixtures. Matters will be further discussed at a meeting called by European Football's Governing body, UEFA, on Tuesday 17 March. The League will continue to liaise with the Government regarding ongoing developments and will continue to work with Clubs to ensure players, staff and supporters are updated and appraised accordingly. These matters are, of course, subject to change and we will update as appropriate."
Written by Tris Burke March 12 2020 19:35:35
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