12 Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Sports LA LIGA GETS ITS WISH FOR SEASON’S RETURN Football is a culture and way of life in Spain, says Mendieta IKOLI VICTOR DOHA GAIZKA Mendieta, a former Qatar loves Spanish football Barcelona and Valencia player because it is attractive and says football is a culture and a loved all over the world. way of life in Spain which will be back with the return of La Former Barcelona & Valencia Liga on Thursday. player Gaizka Mendieta The Spaniard expressed his views in an online video conference organised by not affect players as a whole, Nizar Bakht of La Liga Global as he expects the players to Delegate in Qatar with the adjust to the new situation participation of Qatar-based after one or two games. journalists. Responding to a question Spain has been one of the about the influx of Spanish most affected countries with coaches in Qatar, the former more than 27,000 deaths re- Spanish international said, corded since the novel coro- “Qatar loves Spanish football navirus pandemic broke, but because it is attractive and Mendieta believes that the loved all over the world.” resumption of football will Mendieta added that the Barcelona’s French forward Antoine Griezmann, Guinea-Bissau forward Ansu Fati, French defender Samuel Umtiti, Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal boost morale and show the successes of its club sides in attend a training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, Spain. (AFP) country’s steadfastness and European competitions and love for the game. the success of the national AFP termination, as Tebas ad- the power to scrap even the disinfected and aired before, inside the stadium, in the “Football is a Spanish cul- team in previous years have MADRID mitted, was the fear of finan- most advanced plans at any during and after games. 20th minute. ture and way of life. After the made Spanish football hugely cial meltdown. Cancellation given moment. Only 270 people will be Tebas has insisted the resumption of football, more popular and widely accepted. LA Liga president Javier would cost clubs a billion So when Sevilla host Real allowed inside stadiums, risk of infection once games Tebas said the games would euros, he repeated, and no Betis on Thursday to begin including club players and are in play is “practically have to go on and from team would be spared. a 39-day sprint finish with staff, doctors and security zero” given the amount of Thursday they will, with sta- Even with the season matches every day, they will personnel, matchday and physical contact but the diums full of virtual fans, about to resume, Barcelona do so according to strict club officials, as well as press summer heat in Spain must crowd noise from a comput- and Real Madrid have had guidelines that even this week and technicians. be considered too. er game and fewer than 300 to impose pay cuts. Atletico were still being updated. During the match, fans Fixture lists now come people allowed to attend. Madrid said they enforced a “We’ve planned every- watching on television can with temperature predic- As Ligue 1 in France was drop in wages “to guarantee thing to the last millimetre,” choose to adopt a virtual tions and, already, two kick- called off and the Premier their future”. Tebas said. experience that puts images off times have been adjust- League, still the benchmark Public opposition to the of seated supporters, wear- ed. Five substitutes will be for Spanish football, tied season continuing has there- INFECTION RISK ing the colours of the home allowed instead of three, as itself in knots, La Liga has fore been fleeting. Eibar’s ‘practicallY Zero’ team, in the stands. well as two drinks breaks. been steadfast in its pursuit players said last month they Players will be tested for There will be artificial Some regions in Spain of completion. were “afraid” to go back to coronavirus within 24 hours sound too -- taken from the have moved faster through “I always believed we training while Valencia’s Ga- of kick-off and visiting teams computer game FIFA, using the government’s de-escala- would play again,” said briel Paulista was one of the will use exclusive flights and audio recorded from real tion programme than others Tebas on Sunday. few to say it felt rushed. hotels, before travelling to matches -- that will then be and Tebas has said he would The government in Spain Among the governing stadiums in two buses to en- adapted and implemented be in favour of clubs bring- had indicated it would be bodies, the players’ union sure social distancing is main- according to the flow of the ing supporters back when good for morale, perhaps (AFE) was sidelined and tained. Home team players action. they can. even important for their even the conflict between La will arrive in their own cars. Tributes will be paid to That could accelerate the standing in the world, while Liga and the Spanish foot- Both sets of players will the victims and heroes of league’s initial timetable for the country’s infatuation with ball federation (RFEF) was have their temperatures taken the coronavirus pandemic, 30 per cent of fans to return football meant the prime largely put on hold. before entering stadiums and in the form of a minute’s si- in September, 50 per cent in minister was often address- Instead, La Liga has an- will arrive wearing masks and lence before kick-off and ap- November and 100 per cent ing the question of its return. swered to the health authori- gloves. All communal areas plause, contributed by real in January 2021. Until then, Yet driving La Liga’s de- ties, who have always had like changing rooms will be supporters and transmitted everyone will have to adapt. The wait’s over as Spain’s La Liga returns live and exclusive on beIN Sports TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Commenting on the re- La Liga games with reactions DOHA turn of La Liga on beIN and comments from legends Sports, Jonathan White- such as Mohamed Aboutrika. beIN Sports, the global sports head, Head of Sports for beIN entertains and oper- Former Barcelona and Valencia player Gaizka Mendieta (bottom left) channel, is set to welcome the beIN MENA, said: “We are ates in 43 countries globally, during the online video conference organised by Nizar Bakht of La return of the Spanish football delighted to welcome back including 24 countries across Liga Global Delegate in Qatar with the participation of Qatar-based league “La Liga” on Thursday La Liga to our channels, es- the MENA region. journalists. 11 June with a host of much-an- pecially as this season’s run- ticipated live games for viewers in is set to be one of the best WHEN TO WATCH than 180,000 people will re- Qatar’s National Team to enjoy exclusively across the yet – with the title, Cham- Matchday 28 of LaLiga kicks off turn to work,” said Mendieta. coach Felix Sanchez leads an Middle East and North Africa pions League qualification, between Sevilla and Real Betis Speaking on the cancella- array of Spanish coaches in (MENA), as well as the chance and relegation all left unde- on Thursday 11 June at 23:00 tion of the season in France, he the country and at the Aspire to watch Barcelona’s Lionel cided and extremely close Mecca Time (GMT +3). said, “the French League 1 was Academy. Messi and Real Madrid’s Eden with just nine games left. As Granada vs Getafe Friday thinking that they could actu- La Liga delegate in Qatar, Hazard in action and compet- live sport returns across the 12 June, 20:30 Mecca Time ally have waited, but that deci- Nizar stated that the restart ing for the title. world, beIN is thrilled to be (GMT +3) and Valencia vs sion was taken on the basis of was made possible largely La Liga is now the second on beIN Sports HD1 and HD3 Setien’s men face Mallorca at the heart of all the action. Levante 23:00 Mecca Time the situation on the ground in thanks to the tireless work of major football competition in for Arabic; beIN Sports HD11 away from home on Saturday With the Bundesliga, La Liga (GMT +3) accordance with the govern- La Liga during the lockdown, Europe to safely resume af- for English; and beIN Sports 13 June in an opportunity to and Premier League return- Espanyol vs Alaves Saturday ment directives and regula- in particular the comprehen- ter the COVID-19 outbreak, HD14 for French; as well as go five points clear at the top ing very soon – beIN Sports 13 June, 15:00 Mecca Time tions. Some other leagues have sive and comprehensive pro- as Germany’s Bundesliga re- beIN Sports 4K channel – of the table. will broadcast around 400 (GMT +3) cancelled their season.” tocol developed in conjunc- turned last month after tak- providing viewers with ex- Real Madrid, who are in games in just 80 days, with Celta Vigo vs Villarreal Sat- Mendieta who led Valen- tion with the Spanish health ing extremely careful and cal- hilarating trilingual coverage. second place with 56 points coverage including dedicat- urday 13 June,18:00 Mecca cia to the Champions League authorities, which allowed culated measures to take the beIN guests and talent will take on Eibar on Sunday 14 ed studios and beIN guests Time (GMT +3) final in 2001, said fans and the clubs of La Liga to return field once again.