Football, like life, will never be the same : Messi
Lionel Messi says football 'will never be the same' as the Barcelona star discussed his impending return to action in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Spain's La Liga resumes on June 11 after an enforced three-month absence. As with other major leagues restarting in the likes of Germany, England and Italy, football in Spain will initially look very different to what has gone before.
Matches will be played on a daily basis behind closed doors as La Liga scrambles to complete the season, while precautionary health measures will be in place wherever possible. Messi said that the suffering of the people was not something that can be eradicated anytime soon even as football was coming back.
"Most of us are left with doubts about what the world is going to be like after everything that has happened. Beyond the confinement and the situation that took us by surprise, many people had a really hard time because this situation affected them in some way, as it happened with all those who lost their family and friends and could not even see them," Messi told El Pais.
He reiterated that the suffering of people worldwide was a cause of 'enoromous frustration'.
"I think there were a lot of negative things in this crisis, but there can be nothing worse than losing the people you love the most, that creates enormous frustration for me and seems to me the most unfair thing of all.
"[We'll remember the pandemic] with a feeling of grief and frustration for those who suffered the most due to the loss of their loved ones. And also with infinite thanks to all the people who fought to fight the virus from health centers."
"Football, like life in general, I think will never be the same.
"The return to training, competitions and what was previously done in a normal way, now will have to be started again, but progressively.
"It will be a strange situation for us and for anyone who has to change their usual working dynamics.
"A lot of people have had a really bad time because this situation has affected them in some way, as happened to all those who lost their family and friends and couldn't even barely say goodbye to them," the Argentine star added.
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