Football news LIVE - All the fall-out as football suspended, players and coaches begin isolation

ByEurosport

Updated 13/03/2020 at 18:18 GMT

Join us for the latest developments from the football world.

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17:45 - Can the season be completed?

Reports suggest that the FA thinks not.

17:15 - More positive tests at Sampdoria

After Manolo Gabbiadini’s positive test for COVID-19 yesterday, Sampdoria have announced that Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina, Morten Thorsby and one of the club’s doctors Amedeo Baldari have also tested positive.

16:30 - Klopp's message to Liverpool fans

The Liverpool manager has made a statement via the club's official website, urging people to take care of their health.

"Put your health first. Don’t take any risk. Think about the vulnerable in our society and act where possible with compassion for them."

15:50 - French limits on sport

France wants amateur and professional sports clubs to limit their activities to groups of maximum 10 people, Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu said on Friday.

Maracineanu told reporters that clubs were free to continue their activities in a responsible manner, as long as they split up their teams in groups with a maximum of 10 people, coaches included. (Reuters)

15:30 - Liverpool send players home

Liverpool are essentially shutting down their Melwood training base and telling players to stay fit by themselves.

15:15 - Bundesliga now postponed

And now the Bundesliga is postponed until April, with more details to follow here in due course.

14:30 - Emiliano Sala report released

The investigation in to the death of Emiliano Sala, the Cardiff City player who died in a plane crash shortly after his transfer from Nantes, has released some of its findings.

14:00 - Bundesliga postponed... from Tuesday

The latest news from the Bundesliga is that the authorities in charge of football in Germany wish to enforce a postponement after this weekend's round of games.

13:30 - Scottish football the lastest victim

The Scottish Premier League has decided enough is enough for them, too, as they annouce the postponement of the season. There is no proposed date for the restart.

12:45 - Nigel Pearson lose his patience

In a series of football figures losing their patience as the safety of the population is put at risk, Watford's boss Nigel Pearson has criticised the government's performance of late.

Coronavirus - Nigel Pearson ‘underwhelmed by lack of leadership’ from Boris Johnson over pandemic

12:30 - Thiago loses his patience

Thiago Alcantara has laid into the Bundesliga for failing to call off the weekend's round of games.

12:00 - What does it all mean?

We speculate over the implications of the Premier League being suspended.

11:20 - England friendlies against Denmark and Italy suspended

As well as the suspension of domestic and continental football, the friendlies for England's national side against Denmark and Italy have been postponed.

11:07 - Premier League suspended

The Premier League have now confirmed top-flight football is postponed, and along with EFL, League One and League Two games, the WSL is also postponed.

A provisional return date of April 4 has been announced.

11:00 - EFL, League One and Two suspended

Ahead of a statement from the Premier League the lower leagues have now confirmed their own suspension.

10:21 - Bournemouth the latest club to self-isolate

More self-isolation kicks in for a Premier League club. Bournemouth have said:

AFC Bournemouth can confirm that five of its employees are currently self-isolating, having displayed symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

"Goalkeeper Artur Boruc, along with four first team members of staff, are self-isolating in line with Government and Public Health guidelines.

"This is a precautionary measure as, at this stage, none have tested positive for Coronavirus.

"The club continues to monitor the situation closely and to take suitable measures to ensure the wellbeing of its employees and supporters.

"Further updates will be provided as necessary via the club’s website and social media channels."

10:11 - European football suspended

The latest suspension is announced by UEFA. Next week's Europa League and Champions League games have been suspended.

10:10 - Premier League set for suspension

The Daily Mail's Matt Hughes is claiming on his his Twitter account that the Premier League will make an announcement in around an hour to confirm the competition will be suspeded until April 4.

9:52 - Solskjaer explains the atmosphere of behind-closed-doors football

Manchester United boss spoke after the win over LASK in the Europa League on Thursday night. There was a peculiar atmosphere as United ran out comfortable 5-0 winners, with no idea of when the return leg will be picked up, if it ever is.

Here's Solskjaer's take:

Solskjaer – “We’re used to the best fans in the world, empty stadiums are strange”

9:50 - French football called off

There is no French football on the horizon, now that Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 have been suspended.

9:45 - Good news for Hudson-Odoi

A rare piece of good news for the week, as Hudson-Odoi has posted to his Instagram page to say he has recovered from coronavirus but will continue to self-isolate.

9:40 - Everton in isolation

Everton are the latest club to be directly affected. They have tweeted that a player has shown symptoms of the virus, though has not yet had a positive test confirmed. As a result the first team squad and the coaching staff are now self-isolating. More here.

9:30 - What can the Premier League do now?

We've had a look at the options for the Premier League as they consider whether and how the season can proceed after Mikel Arteta's positive test for coronavirus. Read here.

8:20 - End this farce

The Warm-Up this morning is not mucking about - it calls for the abrupt suspension of the football season until coronavirus is properly under control and there are no needless risks.

8:15 - Premier League to meet after Arteta tests positive

Good morning, everyone. It seems that the Premier League could soon be affected despite yesterday's proclamation from Boris Johnson that there were no plans to cancel sporting events.

As you can catch up on here, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has tested positive for coronavirus, which has led to a meeting this morning for Premier League club representatives to consider their next move.

19:00 - That's a wrap

That's your lot for today but don't forget you can follow out live text commentary of LASK Linz v Manchester United in the Europa League here:

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/europa-league/2019-2020/lask-v-manchester-united-live-europa-league-updates_sto7698758/story.shtml

Until tomorrow!

18:00 - No plans to suspend sporting events - Johnson

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said there is little medical need to ban mass public gatherings in the UK over coronavirus in the immediate future and that domestic sporting fixtures in the UK are not currently under threat.

He said: "On the issue for instance of mass gatherings, sporting events and so on, it is very important that we're guided by the science.

“We are considering the question of banning major public events such as sporting fixtures.

“The scientific advice is that this will have little effect on the spread but there's also the issue of the burden such events can place on public services.”

17:00 - Police investigating racial abuse allegations at Old Trafford

Police have launched an investigation into a teenager's claim he was racially abused and attacked by security guards as he tried to enter Manchester United's Old Trafford for work.

Kamarl Nelson said he was called "a slave" and hit and punched in Sir Matt Busby Way before the club's Europa League game with Club Bruges.

Controlled Solutions Group (CSG), which provides the club's security, "categorically denies" the claims.

16:15 - Spurs interested in Celtic's Ajer

Tottenham are reportedly ready to renew their interest in Celtic's Kristoffer Ajer after his agent hinted at a summer exit.

The defender has been a regular fixture in Celtic’s starting line-up since the start of last season, with the Norway international making 49 appearances in all competitions this campaign, scoring four goals and adding two assists.

15:30 - Chelsea training called off over virus fears

Chelsea's training session on Thursday was called off after a person close to the first-team squad displayed coronavirus-like symptoms, throwing their preparations for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa into confusion.

A deep clean has taken place at their Cobham training ground and Frank Lampard's press conference is still scheduled to take place tomorrow afternoon.

14:48 - Euro 2020 to be postponed?

14:34 - Pereira out for the season with ACL injury

Brendan Rodgers also confirmed full back Ricardo Pereira is out for the rest of the season after sustaining an ACL injury while midfielder James Maddison will return from a calf injury only after the international break at the end of the month - depending on whether any more games will be played at all this season.

14:21 - Gabbiadini has coronavirus

Sampdoria's Manolo Gabbiadini has become the second Serie A player to test positive for the coronavirus, his club said on Thursday.

Juventus on Wednesday announced that their defender Daniele Rugani had tested positive for the virus, which has infected over 12,000 and killed more than 800 in Italy.

All Serie A matches have been suspended until April 3 due to the epidemic.

14:15 - Leicester players in self-isolation

Three Leicester City players have self-isolated after showing symptoms of coronavirus and "have been kept away from the rest of the squad", manager Brendan Rodgers has said.

13:56 - Unnamed Premier League club carrying out coronavirus tests

13:34 - UEFA to hold coronavirus meeting

UEFA will hold a meeting of all 55 football federations in Europe to discuss the impact of the coronavirus on all domestic and European competitions, including the Euro 2020 tournament, the organisation said on Thursday.

The meeting will be conducted by video conference on Tuesday, March 17, and will also involve the boards of the European Club Association, the European leagues and a representative of FIFPro, the players' union.

13:22 - Haaland: It's s*** playing without fans

Haaland – ‘It’s s*** playing without fans’

12:49 - UEFA to suspend Champions League and Europa League – reports

UEFA are set to suspend both the Champions League and Europa League with immediate effect, according to reports in Marca.

The on-going coronavirus outbreak has already seen both Serie A and La Liga suspended, with the European governing now expected to follow suit.

FULL STORY

12:30 - Inter could be isolated until March 22

That's according to Gazzetta dello Sport, but the report claims no one will be subjected to the swab test to check if they are positive for the COVID-19.

12:00 - Champions League and Europa 'set to be suspended'

11:22 - La Liga suspended

All football matches in Spain's top division, La Liga, have been suspended for two weeks over fears of the spread of the coronavirus, the league's organising body said in a statement on Thursday.

The league's statement said the decision came after Real Madrid put its squad into quarantine, and that it had notified the clubs, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) and the national sports ministry of the postponements.

11:08 - Madrid footballers sent home - report

Real Madrid has sent all of the members of its football and basketball teams home after one of the sports club's basketball players tested positive for the new coronavirus, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo said on Thursday.

"Real Madrid CF announces that a player from our basketball team has tested positive after undergoing tests for coronavirus COVID-19," said the statement on the club's official website.

"From now, the club has followed the recommendation of placing the basketball and football teams into quarantine as the two squads share facilities at the club's training ground.

"We have also decided to close our training ground and recommended that all staff who work at the facility remain in quarantine."

Real, who are due to play Eibar in La Liga on Friday without any spectators, and had already cancelled all pre-game media duties to prevent the spread of the virus, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

10:45 - Real Madrid are in quarantine

10:40 - A bad day at the office for Adebayor

On his Copa Libertadores debut, Olimpia's Emmanuel Adebayor picked up a straight red for a 'karate-kick' challenge in the 72nd minute.

10:16 - Solskjaer says United would back suspension

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said health concerns must be the top priority and that the club would back a suspension of Premier League matches over the coronavirus pandemic.

The Times reported on Wednesday that all Premier League and lower division matches in England are to be played without fans and Solskjaer said he would understand if the authorities also called for a suspension.

"Yes I'd understand it in the circumstances," Solskjaer told reporters ahead of Thursday's Europa League last 16 first leg at Austria's LASK, which is being played without fans.

"Of course it's up to the experts to decide and the main concern must be the health of the general public. And the decision that will be made we will back.

"These are difficult circumstances not just for football but in the whole society so we have to do what we're told and get on with the game if that's what the authorities think," Solskjaer said of the decision to play in an empty stadium.

And the players have been the same, they have prepared for the game as we normally do. We're going to have to create our own atmosphere within the team, within the game.

10:00 - Neymar and co troll Haaland

PSG produced a professional performance behind closed doors to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on Wednesday night to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League but then elected to troll Erling Haaland by mimicking his celebration.

Gary Lineker was not too happy about it.

Perhaps the PSG players were responding to an apparent Instagram post from the Norwegian.

09:30 – Good morning

Hello and welcome to another day of football news, dominated, of course, by the Champions League, with holders Liverpool out, PSG through, but not before trolling Erling Haaland. There is also the latest from the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, with Cristiano Ronaldo in quarantine.

First up, though, here is Paper Round for you perusal: Chelsea to raise summer funds with £45m summer Batshuayi sale

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19:00 - That's a wrap

That's your lot for today but don't forget you can follow out live text commentary of Liverpool v Atletico Madrid in the Champions League here:

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/champions-league/2019-2020/live-liverpool-atletico-madrid_mtc1112152/live.shtml

Until tomorrow!

18:00 - Cop del Rey final postponed

Spain’s Copa del Rey final between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the national soccer federation RFEF said on Wednesday.

The match was due to take place on April 18 at Seville’s La Cartuja Stadium.

17:30 - Wolves head to Athens for controversial Europa League meeting

Wolves have flown out to Greece for their Europa League clash against Olympiakos after UEFA rejected their request to postpone the fixture amid heightened coronavirus fears.

The Premier League club insist the game poses an "unnecessary risk" as cases rise across Europe, and after the Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis was diagnosed with coronavirus.

The game is to be played behind closed doors after the Greek government enforced a temporary suspension on spectators at sporting events, and Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo questioned the point of playing without fans.

17:00 - Dubravka injured for Newcastle

Newcastle have been dealt a blow with the news first-choice goalkeeper Martin Dubravka will be sidelined until at least the end of March with a knee injury.

Dubravka, who has been an ever-present in the Premier League since making his debut for the club against Manchester United in February 2018, kept his ninth clean sheet of the season in the 1-0 win at Southampton last Saturday.

16:00 - Drinkwater Villa future in doubt

Danny Drinkwater’s Aston Villa future remains in doubt after a training ground set-to with Jota.

The midfielder was sent home on Tuesday following an altercation with team-mate Jota at the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground.

He is likely to be fined but any further punishment is yet to be discussed, as reported by the Press Association.

15:29 - Sevilla v Roma and Inter v Getafe postponed

UEFA have announced that, as a result of the travelling restrictions between Spain and Italy imposed yesterday by the Spanish authorities, the Europa League ties Sevilla v Roma and Inter v Getafe have been postponed.

FULL STORY

14:38 - Mbappe included in PSG squad

Kylian Mbappe is in the PSG squad to face Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League last-16 second leg clash tonight.

The forward was a major doubt as he was suffering from a bout of angina, but he has been given the all-clear by doctors in Paris - according to L'Equipe.

Thiago Silva is not in the squad as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.

14:04 - Spanish football could grind to a halt

14:00 - Australia seal Olympics place

Australia sealed their place in the Tokyo Olympics' women's football tournament on Wednesday as a 2-1 away win over Vietnam completed a 7-1 aggregate victory.

Ante Milicic's side had all but guaranteed their progress to the finals following a 5-0 first leg win in Australia last week and Sam Kerr, who scored twice in the opening meeting, was on target again to put the outcome beyond doubt.

The Chelsea striker side-footed a volley home 15 minutes into the first half and, 12 minutes later, set up Hayley Raso to stroke home Australia's second.

Chloe Logarzo missed the opportunity to further increase Australia's lead from the penalty spot before the break, while Huynh Nhu's effort 10 minutes into the second half was little more than a consolation for the outclassed Vietnamese.

The Matildas join hosts Japan in representing the Asian Football Confederation at the 12-team Olympic tournament during the summer. They will be joined by the winners of the playoff between South Korea and China, which will be played in June

13:36 - Getafe refuse to travel for Inter tie

Getafe have said they would not play their game at Inter Milan.

Spain on Tuesday decided to cancel all direct flights from Italy - though not to Italy - for two weeks in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier, Getafe president Angel Torres told reporters his club refused to travel to Italy for their game at Inter, even if it meant they were kicked out of the competition.

The region of Lombardy, where Milan is located, is at the epicentre of Europe's worse coronavirus outbreak which has prompted the Italian government to impose a nationwide lockdown.

The match at San Siro is due to be played without fans.

"We're not going to play, we're not going to travel to Italy, that has been decided," Torres told reporters outside the club's stadium.

I can guarantee that we will not travel to Italy. UEFA will decide what happens next.

The Getafe chief earlier told Onda Cero radio the club had asked the Spanish football federation to postpone the game, also requesting that the match be moved away from Italy.

"We have looked for an alternative to playing in Milan. We don't want to be in the focal point of the coronavirus outbreak, we don't need that. We have also asked the (Spanish) federation to demand the suspension," he said.

"If we have to lose the tie, then we lose it. We don't want to run any sort of risk. We are really excited about this match but if we have to lose it, then so be it."

13:07 - Hannover defender Timo Hubers tests positive for coronavirus

Hubers contracted the virus during a public event in his hometown of Hildesheim on Saturday evening.

After learning someone at the event had tested positive for coronavirus, he went into self-quarantine and contacted a doctor.

The 23-year-old is the first professional player to catch the virus in Germany.

"Pro player Timo Hubers tested positive for coronavirus," the club said in a statement. "Because the 23-year-old did not have any contact with his teammates since his infection it is not to be assumed that other players have been infected by him."

The club said Hubers has has had no contact with players or staff since then. All his team mates and staff have been tested.

The virus has had a major impact on German football with matches being played behind closed doors and teams avoiding any contact with fans.

13:01 - Roma banned from travelling to Seville

Meaning their Europa League last-16 tie against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Thursday evening could be off.

12:40 - FIFPRO will support players who request postponements

The global footballers' union FIFPRO will support players who ask for training sessions, matches or competitions to be postponed over the coronavirus outbreak, it said on Wednesday.

Football has been affected around the world with competitions postponed altogether in some countries like China, Japan, South Korea and Italy, and matches played without spectators in others, such as France and Spain.

"We ask that employers and competition organisers respect the wishes of players to take short-term precautionary measures including suspending training or competitions," FIFPRO said in a statement.

We support the players and their associations who have requested a suspension or postponement of football activities in their countries or regions.

The Spanish players' union has already asked for La Liga to be postponed rather than matches being played without fans.

12:18 - French League Cup final is postponed

The French League Cup final between Paris St Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, initially scheduled for April 4, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the French League (LFP) said on Wednesday.

"A new date will be set depending on the evolution of the sanitary situation and on both club's future in European competitions," the LFP said in a statement.

PSG and Lyon are playing in the Champions League's last 16. The LFP said on Tuesday that all Ligue 1 and 2 games would take place without spectators until April 15.

France has banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 1,784 people and killed 33 in the country.

12:02 - French League Cup final 'postponed amid coronavirus'

The French League Cup final between Paris St Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, initially scheduled on April 4, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, French media reported on Wednesday.

L'Equipe and Le Parisien said that neither PSG nor Lyon wanted to play in an empty stadium after the French League said that all Ligue 1 and 2 games would take place without spectators until April 15.

France has banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected 1,784 people and killed 33 in the country.

11:25 - Sack Levy, sack Mourinho, sack Lloris, sack everyone

In an unusual mix, we call for Tottenham to start again before launching our newest game – Empty Stadium Bingo.

THE WARM-UP

Jose Mourinho

Image credit: Getty Images

11:02 - Cheer up, Jose!

'Cheer up, it's going to be okay!' - Mourinho has bizarre journalist encounter

10:40 - Players back coronavirus measures

Cesc Fabregas and Marcus Rashford have their priorities right:

09:55 - 'Beginning of the end'

There are fears, admittedly from football folk who know little of the medical world, that the season is drawing to a close.

The sight of empty stadiums will be familiar over the coming weeks but, as Pep Guardiola said yesterday, what's the point of playing without supporters?

'Suspend games, don't play without fans', says Guardiola

09:40 - Several Arsenal players in self-isolation, Man City match OFF

The coronavirus continues to cause havoc to the sporting world, with Arsenal the latest team to fall victim to its spell.

Their proposed trip to Manchester City on Wednesday has been postponed after players from the London club had contact with the owner of Greek side Olympiacos, who has contracted the coronavirus.

Arsenal, predictably, crashed out of the Europa League to Olympiacos on February 27.