Spain’s health minister speculates no La Liga, Spanish football before summer

The coronavirus pandemic that halted every major European football competition in March could keep Spain's La Liga sidelined through the end of spring.

Recently, the Associated Press (h/t Sports Illustrated) reported Salvador Illa, the country's Minister of Health, has said it would be "reckless" for him to offer hope that La Liga and other competitions would resume in the nation before the summer months.

"We will continue to monitor the evolution (of the virus) and the guidelines we will present will indicate how different activities can return to a new normalcy," Illa added.

According to the AP, Illa and other government health officials must authorize the return of sports before La Liga teams can adequately prepare to finish the season.

Sports around the world remain indefinitely shut down due to the virus outbreak, and plans to resume or begin seasons have been met with negative feedback. Virologist Uwe G. Liebert has spoken out against the German Bundesliga resuming play in early May even if games were played without fans inside stadiums.

On Monday afternoon, reports emerged the NBA's Atlanta Hawks weren't opening team facilities this coming Friday as originally hoped. The NBA currently has no confirmed date to resume normal team activities.

Also on Monday, Dan Roan and Laura Scott of BBC Sport reported the English Premier League remains hopeful the competition can resume on June 8. A meeting involving EPL clubs is scheduled for Friday.

With 11 matchdays remaining on the La Liga calendar for 2019-20, Barcelona sit atop the table on 58 points. Rivals Real Madrid trail Barca by two points. Sevilla are third on 47 points.