Premier League provides guidelines for pre-restart friendlies

Last week, the English Premier League announced its schedule to complete the 2019-20 season that was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic that includes games beginning on June 17. 

As part of preparations for the final 9-10 matchdays of their domestic calendars, clubs can participate in friendlies if they follow specific guidelines to limit exposure to others. 

On Tuesday, Reuters (h/t ESPN) and John Percy of The Telegraph explained that teams can schedule exhibition warmups versus other clubs as long as sides from England's top-flight travel no more than 90 minutes from home stadiums, players agree to drive to and from venues in their personal vehicles, and they arrive to games in their full kits and ready to perform. 

Players will need to post negative coronavirus tests before being allowed to compete in friendlies.

Reuters added that Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers plans to schedule friendlies at the club's King Power Stadium. Leicester currently possess a Champions League qualification berth via the third spot in the league table. The Foxes are on 53 points, four points behind Manchester City, and five points ahead of Chelsea. 

City have a game in hand over Leicester and Chelsea. 

Friendlies are part of every team's standard preseason, but little about finishing the final fourth of a campaign during the summer after a layoff of several months is normal for footballers who likely will struggle to return to full fitness ahead of meaningful matches. 

Managers likely will carry worries about stars suffering injuries into each friendly that top-tier starters can't skip because they haven't played since the middle of March.