This Week in LaLiga: 6 – 12 May

What’s been going on in LaLiga this past week?

LaLiga players tested for Covid-19 ahead of the return to training

Just five positive cases were detected out of around 1,700 tests carried out over the past week as players took the key step of training again. The players who returned positive results were all asymptomatic and in the final stages of the virus. They’ll be tested again this week and will hope for a negative result with an eye on re-joining their teammates in training as soon as possible.

Fifa approve temporary rule changes

Given the extraordinary circumstances affecting football due to the coronavirus pandemic, FIFA have decided to allow for some minor and temporary rule changes. The main amendment is that it will now be possible for teams to make five substitutions during a match, although they will only have a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the game in addition to also being able to make changes at half time.

The return of Bruno Soriano

There was some really exciting news out of Villarreal this past week as club captain Bruno Soriano was able to return to normal training, along with the rest of the team. Soriano has suffered injury setback after injury setback over the past few years and hasn’t played a competitive match since 21 May 2017, but there finally appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for this talented midfielder.

Chimy Ávila’s progress

Another club celebrating a positive injury update is Osasuna, who’ve seen star striker Chimy Ávila return to the training pitches with his trademark intensity. The news is even more remarkable given that he’s just 95 days departed from cruciate knee ligament surgery. The Argentine has worked hard on his recovery during the past few months and is hoping to be back on the pitch scoring goals soon.

A blow for Luka Jović

Real Madrid’s Serbian striker had a setback this week, suffering a foot fracture which makes his return in time for the restart of the LaLiga Santander season unlikely.

Injury disappointment for Umtiti

There was also some sad injury news over at Barcelona. Centre-back Samuel Umtiti suffered a calf injury in only the team’s second day back at training following the coronavirus halt and is set to be sidelined for several weeks.

Getafe’s magnificent gesture

Getafe president Ángel Torres announced this week that season tickets for the 2019/20 LaLiga season will also be valid for the 2020/21 season free of charge. Keen to compensate the famously loyal Getafe fans for the disruption caused to the current season as a result of the coronavirus, the club have confirmed this magnificent gesture in an official statement.

 EA Sports’ ‘Team of the Season So Far’

There may still be 11 rounds of action to go in the 2019/20 LaLiga Santander season, but EA Sports have taken a look back over the first stretch of the campaign and named their top 20 players. The players making this ‘Team of the Season So Far’ are: Lionel Messi, Raphaël Varane, Karim Benzema, Luis Suárez, Sergio Ramos, Jan Oblak, Toni Kroos, Antoine Griezmann, Nabil Fekir, Marc-André ter Stegen, Frenkie de Jong, Santi Cazorla, Dani Carvajal, Dani Parejo, Gerard Moreno, Martin Ødegaard, Diego Carlos, Yuri Berchiche, Lucas Ocampos and Lucas Pérez. What do you think?

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