Coronavirus: Football players accepted need to play behind closed doors when Premier League resumes

Fans will likely be shut out of games when football eventually resumes in the UK

Players have accepted that playing games in closed stadiums might be the only way to complete the English domestic league season, Bobby Barnes, deputy chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), has said.

English football has been suspended until at least 30 April due to the coronavirus crisis, although the Football Association, Premier League and EFL have agreed to extend the season indefinitely.

As the coronavirus pandemic leads to increasing restrictions across the country, Barnes said players were now looking at "realistic" options to finish the 2019/20 campaign.

"In an ideal world we'd be playing in front of crowds but I think it's more a case of there being no alternative," Barnes told The Athletic.

"We're not in an ideal world and the players I've spoken to accept that's what it will have to be.

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"Football is about fans. But the reality for the vast majority of the players, particularly at the highest level, is their income is funded by television money and there are contracts that have to be adhered to.

"In order for us (the PFA) to be able to protect those players in terms of securing their salaries, if that's the only offer we have on the table to complete the season, then that is what it will be."

The flu-like virus has infected more than 337,500 globally and killed over 14,600. Deaths from the virus in Britain jumped 54 to 335 on Monday.

Reuters