Putting players back in confinement would hurt their mental health, admits Diego Rivas
Spanish players’ union general-secretary Diego Rivas has confessed that the association are against putting players in confinement again citing fears over their mental health. Clubs in Spain’s top and second tier have returned to training with the Spanish league planning a mid-June return.
With the Bundesliga set to return later this week, it has forced the La Liga and the other major European leagues in action with the Serie A and Premier League also planning for a restart. But with the La Liga’s plan hoping to see them back by mid-June, clubs across the Spanish league have started training this week. They’ve started small with individual training before small group activities with full training not set to start until next month.
But with players concerned over their health and safety with the same going for their families, it has seen the Spanish football association take action. There is, however, an acceptance that there is a need to finish the season in light of various financial issues. But Spanish players’ union general-secretary Diego Rivas has admitted that the plan had to be tweaked to help keep the players’ mental health in check.
"Doctors keep telling us the same thing. After a lockdown of over 50 days and then being able to go outside, putting players back in confinement would be very detrimental to their mental health. The power of the mind in sport is very great. If this new confinement affects their mental health, that would also affect their performance and everything else, making them more likely to suffer injuries," Rivas told ESPN.
"Look, for example, at the Bundesliga," Rivas added. "Players can all go to eat together and they won't be in training camps for more than seven days. Here they wanted them in training camps from the beginning and not leaving their rooms for 15 days. In Germany it's a normal training camp, not like here. We've been against the way they wanted to impose it."