Players, coaches and support staff from Chinese Super League clubs will have their movements severely restricted for the next 70 days and when not training or playing matches they must stay in their hotel.<\/p>\n
This comes after the league finally kicks off on Saturday (Jul 18), with matches played behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
The 16 teams have been split into two groups for the first phase of the season, one in the northeastern city of Dalian and the other in Suzhou, near Shanghai.<\/p>\n
As a way to create a safe space, they cannot see their families and the teams will stay in a single hotel in each of the two host cities.<\/p>\n
“Our anti-epidemic measures are very strict and those who violate them could be kicked out of the league for this season,” Qi Jun, the CSL official responsible for virus control, told the state Xinhua news agency.<\/p>\n
“The teams and players should not expect to be only fined or suspended for their violation.”<\/p>\n
Fabio Cannavaro’s reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande will play FA Cup winners Shanghai Shenhua in the season-opener on Saturday in Dalian, followed the same day by Wuhan Zall versus Qingdao Huanghai in Suzhou.<\/p>\n
Wuhan Zall from city of Wuhan were picked to play on the first day of the season as a symbol towards the city’s well-publicised fight against coronavirus.<\/p>\n
The virus emerged in the city towards the end of last year before spreading worldwide, with people living there underwent a 76-day lockdown.<\/p>\n
“We have been training for the new season since January, the players have worked very hard and are fully prepared,” Wuhan’s Spanish coach Jose Gonzalez said.<\/p>\n
“I hope the whole team will go all out to bring happiness to the Wuhan fans, who have emerged from the shadow of the epidemic.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"