With Virtual Fans and Daily Matches, Football Returns to Spain!

THE Spanish league – La Liga – makes a welcome return this week after more than three months of suspension. Germany’s Bundesliga was the first to restart and Britain’s Premier League and the Italian league are expected to join them in the coming weeks.

La Liga matches are kick-starting in empty stadiums this Thursday, with the popular Sevilla vs Real Betis derby setting things off to a roaring start.

The race for the title is set to resume over the weekend with the league’s leader Barcelona taking on Mallorca on Saturday. Second from the top, Real Madrid will be hosting Eibar on Sunday at the team’s training centre as the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will be undergoing renovations for the rest of the season.

To provide players and viewers with an atmosphere familiar with stadium matches, there are to be virtual crowds and chants, similar to those in video games. Viewers will have the option of watching matches with empty stadiums or with a virtual crowd in the stands.

“I always believed that we would play again, despite of what many people said,” Spanish league president Javier Tebas said. “It was complicated, and our plan was to return when we could. It was difficult but we have succeeded. We spent three weeks saying that this would be impossible, and now we are even considering having fans back in the stands.”

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Roxanne James

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