Shanghai SIPG's Cai Huikang (C) celebrates in front of a packed crowd during their Chinese Super League clash with Beijing Guoan, Shanghai, China, May 26, 2019. /VCG
China is set to welcome a limited number of fans back to attend a mouth-watering top-of-the-table Chinese Super League (CSL) clash in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, as authorities attempt to press ahead with plans to restore normality after COVID-19 pandemic recedes into the rearview mirror.
The highly anticipated encounter between the traditional powerhouse Beijing Guoan and the high-flying Shanghai SIPG will be watched by about 2,000 spectators, which comprises both clubs' supporters as well as role models in the country's fight against coronavirus and floods, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced in a press conference on Friday.
Stringent social distancing measures will be in place inside the stadium, as all attendants must wear a mask, show an ID Card, provide a green health code on their smart phones and undergo a temperature check before entry. For those who are not a permanent resident in Suzhou, a certificate proving they have passed a coronavirus test within seven days is also needed.
Spectators will have to wear masks and adhere to stringent social distancing measures on entry to the stadium. /VCG
The CFA said they will test the waters by allowing spectators into four more games in the coming weeks. If everything goes smoothly, all games will be gradually open to the public when conditions permit.
The CSL unveiled its long-delayed 2020 season behind closed doors on July 25 after a five-month hiatus due to the pandemic. To ensure health and safety, a new format was introduced and 16 teams were split into two groups, with all games being hosted at neutral venues in Suzhou and Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province.
Nearly a month on, the new season went off without a hitch. Guoan top the table in Suzhou with four wins and a draw, while the unbeaten SIPG are only two points behind. In Dalian, Guangzhou Evergrande are the unsurprising group leaders, with Shangdong Luneng two points adrift of the defending champions.
Illustration picture during the Ligue 1 match between Toulouse FC and Dijon FCO at Stadium Municipal, Toulouse, France, August 17, 2019. /VCG
Fresh uncertainty in Ligue 1
Meanwhile in France, the Ligue 1, which was the only one of Europe's top five leagues to cancel its season in April, will kick off its new season on Friday, but its opening weekend are shrouded in uncertainty as another wave of coronavirus infections were ravaging the country's top division.
The curtain raiser between Marseille and Saint-Etienne has already been postponed after four players among Andre Villas-Boas's side tested positive for COVID-19. Nimes' opening match against Brest could be in peril after they also recored four new cases this week.
"With one player we can say it's a coincidence, a second or a third too, but a fourth we cannot," said Emmanuel Orhant, a member of the league's COVID-19 committee. "For the government, the premise of a cluster lies in three cases, and we told ourselves that from a fourth case, we no longer have control over health conditions."
French striker Andy Delort are Montpellier's top scorer last season. /VCG
According to multiple French media outlets, more than half of the Ligue 1 clubs have reported coronavirus cases. Nantes captain Abdoulaye Toure and Montpellier striker Andy Delort were among the big-name players who reportedly contracted the disease.
As bad news keep rolling in, Lille manager Christophe Galtier admitted he was deeply worried. "Can we take the risk of playing players who may be sick without knowing it yet? Can we take the risk of one infected team infecting another, I don't think so," he observed.
"We are responsible for the health of our players and we must avoid taking risks. But obviously, this is a bad signal," he added.