Serie A set to resume on June 20 after successful talks with Italian government

Italy's premier football league Serie A is set to resume on June 20 after the Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora gave the league the all-clear to resume on Thursday. The league was initially expected to begin a week earlier but was pushed. The league has been on hold for more than two 

READ: Premier League Return Confirmed For June 17, Matches To Be Played Behind Closed Doors

Series A set to resume 

In a meeting, Spadafora said, "The meeting was very useful. Now Italy is starting again and it is right that soccer starts again too. If the curve changes and the league has to be stopped again, the Italian soccer federation has assured me that there exists a plan B - playoffs - and also a plan C - leaving the standings as they are.”

Serie A has been suspended since March 9, when the government ordered a nationwide lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The league’s 20 teams agreed earlier this month to resume competition on June 13 in empty stadiums. But, following a government decree days later banning sports until June 14, the Italian soccer federation swiftly announced that it would comply. However, it had hoped for special dispensation.

READ: German Women's League Resuming Is Outlier In European Soccer

Earlier, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina spoke to international media and addressed the Serie A return and revealed that coronavirus has already caused damage worth over €500 million. The broadcasting, sponsorship and matchday revenue has failed to supply any income since coronavirus halted football in Italy over two months ago. 

Juventus were leading the Serie A table on 63 points before coronavirus halted football in early March while Lazio remains just a solitary point behind, with 12 matchdays remaining until the end of the campaign.

READ: MLS Gives OK To Small Group Training Sessions

Serie A teams have been training individually since May 4. With a government decree suspending all competition until June 14, Italian players' union president Damiano Tommasi said on Tuesday that footballers would need at least a month training before returning to competition.

Football across Europe has returned in a staged manner over the last three weeks, with Germany's Bundesliga being the first major competition to return on May 16. Earlier this week, La Liga was given the green light to resume the season and Premier League will be resuming on June 17. 

READ: Serie A Could Be Axed If A Player Contracts Coronavirus, Entire Squad To Be Quarantined