Spain suspends top flight football for at least two weeks

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.

A meeting between the Spanish Football Federation, the football union in Spain and the league itself on Thursday resulted in the suspension of the next two matchdays in the top tier. 

The games were already being played behind closed doors but matches this weekend and on March 21-22 will now not go ahead, with a statement saying the decision 'will be reevaluated after the completion of the quarantines in the affected club.' 

LA LIGA GAMES SUSPENDED

March 13-16

• Real Madrid vs Eibar
• Leganes vs Valladolid
• Valencia vs Levante
• Mallorca vs Barcelona
• Celta Vigo vs Villarreal
• Espanyol vs Alaves
• Real Sociedad vs Osasuna 
• Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid
• Granada vs Getafe
• Sevilla vs Real Betis 

March 20-22

• Osasuna vs Atletico Madrid
• Valladolid vs Celta Vigo 
• Real Madrid vs Valencia
• Alaves vs Real Sociedad
• Eibar vs Athletic Bilbao 
• Villarreal vs Mallorca
• Real Betis vs Granada 
• Getafe vs Espanyol 
• Levante vs Sevilla
• Barcelona vs Leganes 

This now means the Premier League is the only division out of the top three European divisions not to suspend matches due to the coronavirus outbreak, piling more pressure on the UK government and decision makers within English football. 

Given the scale of the crisis in Italy, Serie A is suspended until April 3.

At Real Madrid, with the club basketball player testing positive for COVID-19, all players in all sections of the club are in quarantine until at least March 27. 

Their Champions League last-16 second-leg against Manchester City at the Etihad on Tuesday is also now in serious doubt. 

LaLiga's statement read: 'Given the circumstances known this morning, referring to the quarantine established at Real Madrid and the possible positives in players from other clubs, LaLiga considers that the circumstances are already in place to continue with the next phase of the protocol of action against COVID-19.'