Guardiola backs Premier League return despite COVID-19 concerns

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has given his backing to a bid to bring back the Premier League.
Guardiola lost his mother to the coronavirus almost a month ago but has stated that he is totally in favour of plans to resume the 2019/20 season.
It has been reported that plans to resume the Premier League have been discussed but are subject to government ratification.  
Sources at City have confirmed that Guardiola will be in charge of all of the club’s games should the Premier League make a return.

“Pep will be in charge of the team when the season restarts,” the source said.

“This is obviously still a traumatic time for him and his family – but he took a lot of comfort from the messages of support he received after his mother passed away.

“He has been having conversations with players, his coaching staff and (director of football) Txiki Begiristain and is putting things in place in readiness for the proposed return.

“The hope at the club is that football can play a role in helping the country to return to some kind of normality,” the source concluded. Guardiola was devastated when his 82-year-old mum, Dolors Sala Carrio, passed away in Barcelona on April 6.

Spain has been one of the countries worst hit by the pandemic and only Madrid has suffered more fatalities than Catalonia.

Guardiola, 49, has donated £920,000 to the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation to help with the purchase of medical equipment. City are one of the clubs behind the mission of both the Premier League and UEFA to complete the season.

Even with the backing of owner Sheikh Mansour, the Citizens face losing more than £100million if Operation Restart fails – and that would threaten the jobs of scores of non-playing staff.

City were the first club to announce that they would not be putting workers on furlough. But the social and economic consequences of voiding the season would be harsh.