Portuguese clubs return to individual training ahead of potential restart

Imago

Players at Portuguese clubs, including Benfica and Porto, returned to individual training on Monday as the Primeira Liga prepares for a possible restart of the season during the coronavirus pandemic.

Portugal's top flight has been shut down since mid-March, but the country's Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, said last week that the Primeira Liga and the Portuguese Cup final were the "only exceptions" to a ruling that has kept all other professional sport suspended.

"All training matters. Even the training that we are going to have to do, for a while, in individual sessions," said Benfica coach Bruno Lage.

Porto led reigning champions Benfica by one point when the season was suspended with 10 matches remaining.

France's Ligue 1 was the most high profile league season to be ended due to the COVID-19 outbreak, while the Netherlands also opted to scrap the rest of its Eredivisie campaign.

But like Portugal, teams in Italy, Germany, Spain and England are preparing for a potential return to action.