Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian football federation (FIGC), has confirmed that the aim is to get back to playing football at the end of May or early June.
Football at all levels across the country has been on hold for over a month now due to the ongoing global Coronavirus pandemic and Gravina has hit out at people who are calling for the season to be cancelled.
“It is a complex moment for our country, for the economy and for football which is one of the most important industries,” he remarked in an interview with Italian radio station Radio Rai 1 show ‘Un giorno da pecora’ earlier on today.
“With a sense of responsibility, availability and common sense we will find the right way. Those who call for the cancellation of the season do not love neither football nor the Italians and are taking away the hope of the future and restart.”
Gravina then went on to reveal he hopes that teams will be able to make a return to training at the beginning of next month with a view to then resuming playing at the end of the month if not just after it.
“I share the hope of the sports minister Spadafora to be able to start again on 4 May, with all due caution and guarantees.
“We have developed a health protocol that tomorrow we will deliver tomorrow to Spadafora and to the minister of health.
“There will be a period of control to ensure the negativity of all those who participate in the events. If they are all negative there is no danger. It will take three weeks of safety, so in late May and early June teams can get back to playing.”
He then went on give clarity with regard to what has been reported in the media regarding a fall out between FIGC and Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago.
“What the newspapers reported is not a piece of my phone call with the president of the CONI Giovanni Malago that was very confidential.
“We clarified things, because the president perhaps was not aware of the activity we are carrying out and the critical issues that we would encounter if I had to unplug the championship.”
