Coronavirus: Bundesliga congratulated for imminent return by LaLiga as it steps up comeback preparations

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LaLiga congratulated Germany's Bundesliga for announcing its imminent return as Spain's top-flight stepped up its own comeback preparations.

The Bundesliga was given the green light to resume later this month when chancellor Angela Merkel made the announcement during a news conference on Wednesday.

Strict testing and matchday procedures will be put in place by the German government, with football seemingly set to resume on May 15 having been paused in mid-March.

LaLiga outlined its own plan for a staggered return to training on Monday, with teams set to begin individual work this week before gradually moving to group sessions, the ultimate aim being to re-commence the 2019-20 season in June.

Spanish clubs began testing players for COVID-19 on Tuesday and LaLiga sees the Bundesliga's situation as a cause for optimism following a difficult period, which has led to the Dutch Eredivisie and France's Ligue 1 ending 2019-20 prematurely.

"From LaLiga we want to congratulate the Bundesliga on the decision of its government to restart the competition from the second half of this month of May, as well as other leagues that are also reactivating in Poland, Israel, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria , Serbia, Hungary, Denmark and Portugal," a statement read.

"This is very good news for European football, for the return to a new normal and for the reactivation of such an important economic and social activity.

"LaLiga and its clubs continue working so that in Spain football can also return, on a path that started yesterday [Tuesday] and today with the medical tests prior to the return of training and that will not end until the return of the fans to the stadiums."

Spain has recorded more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any other country in Europe, with its count totalling more than 253,600, while there have over 25,850 deaths.