In an interview with Rome based newspaper Il Messaggero, Damiano Tommasi, the president of the Italian players associations, has spoken on the difficulties that playing on beyond June 30 would bring in terms of player contracts.
There is complete uncertainly as to when the Serie A season will resume although several figures high up in the Italian game, including Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina have stated that May 3 could be the date when play resumes.
If this is the case, it is expected that the season will be able to conclude by the end of June but Gravina has admitted in some interviews that the season may have to go on into July, perhaps as far as the middle of the month.
“There are an infinite number of players who, respecting the rules, have signed for other clubs, with a contract in effect from July 1. There are loans that will expire and people who will become free agents,” he started.
“On June 30, the clubs have to present their budgets and that’s a problem for them. A delay will have to be studied, a moratorium will be made, extending the contracts.
“We can’t exaggerate this delay. The beginning of next season can’t be moved too far, since, at least we hope, there will be the Euros.
“Of course. I repeat: the schools are closed, a championship or more than one can also be closed. It would be a big problem, but unfortunately, we don’t choose these things, but the Coronavirus does.
“We are all loaded onto the same boat, in the same uncertainty and with equal fragility.”
He then went on to hit out at some club presidents for the way they have acted in this situation with it understood many presidents have pushed to have training resume right away amongst other things despite the obvious safety concerns attached.
“They are like the Titanic musicians, who continue to play while the ship sinks. If you don’t understand that the situation is serious, I fear that the dates will be disregarded.
“Up north, the phenomenon is constantly growing, as well as in the rest of Europe. It was correct to give a temporary horizon, almost as a form om optimism. That’s OK.
“But there’s still a lot to do. At the beginning, it seemed that the phenomenon concerned the lower area of Lombardy, then moved to Brescia and Bergamo. It’s unpredictable, we don’t know what will happen in the south.”
He concluded the interview by adding: “Logic tells us that we must behave well, rigorously. It’s not about being catastrophic or optimistic, I just try to be realistic. We will start again, but in safety. And where it is needed, we will respect stricter measures.”