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FILE PHOTO: President of La Liga Javier Tebas attends the premiere of the Cirque du Soleil's "Messi10" show in Barcelona, Spain, October 10, 2019. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo

La Liga chief says 2020-21 season to start on September 12

The next La Liga season will begin on September 12 if the organisers' bid to complete the current campaign after a three-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic goes to plan, president Javier Tebas has said.

MADRID: The next La Liga season will begin on September 12 if the organisers' bid to complete the current campaign after a three-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic goes to plan, president Javier Tebas has said.

Having received government approval last weekend, La Liga is set to start up again on June 11 and finish on July 19.

All matches will be played without spectators although fixtures are yet to be officially confirmed.

"The important thing will be when the season finishes although we'll only be able to congratulate ourselves when we start the following season," Tebas said on Friday in an online forum organised by Spanish newspaper Marca.

"God willing that day will be Sept. 12 and hopefully we'll be able to say we have overcome this most difficult period but at least we will be better prepared."

Tebas has led the campaign to get the season back on track since it was postponed on March 12, warning that clubs could lose up to one billion euros (US$1.11 billion) collectively if the remaining 11 rounds of matches could not be completed.

(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Christian Radnedge; Editing by Christian Radnedge)