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3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2020 NEWS Download the new eCabs app for: Ultra-sanitised cabs, every time Low waiting times Our lowest prices ever KURT SANSONE FLORIANA FC footballers will be taking a swab test tomorrow in preparation for Wednesday's Champions League match as football returns in the shadow of COVID-19. The club will be the first Mal- tese team to play competitive football since all sporting activ- ity was stopped last March when the coronavirus pandemic first hit. Floriana will play against Ro- manian side CFR Cluj at the Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qa- li in the first qualifying round of the Champions League. The game kicks off at 9pm. All players and team officials will stay together at a hotel be- fore the match in an attempt to minimize exposure to risk, Di- one Borg, Floriana FC secretary general, told MaltaToday. However, he acknowledged that eliminating all risk is next to impossible. A recent COVID-19 cluster included three Balzan FC foot- ballers, who were on a training camp at a hotel when they tested positive. "This is the new reality that football has to get used to and a stark reminder that getting back on the field of play was never go- ing to be an easy task," Borg said. All Champions League qualify- ing matches are being played on one leg to make up for the de- lay in the new season as a result of the disruption in domestic leagues caused by COVID-19. Games will also be played be- hind closed doors and the man- datory swab test, two days before kickoff, is part of new medical protocols adopted by UEFA, the European football governing body. Cluj players will also have to undergo similar swab tests. Only last week, a game from the preliminary round between Kosovo's Drita and Northern Ireland's Linfield was abandoned an hour before kick-off, after two players from the Kosovar team tested positive for COVID-19. The game was to be played in Switzerland and the health authorities there ordered the Kosovar team to stay in quaran- tine. As a consequence, Linfield were given a bye to the first qual- ifying round as per UEFA regu- lations. This is a prospect any team would want to avoid, which is why football clubs are taking ex- tra precautions. Floriana's club doctor, George Grech, is the medical officer who is acting as liaison between the club, the Malta Football Associ- ation and UEFA. Talks on medical protocols clubs have to adopt have also include Valletta FC, Hibernians and Sirens FC – the three oth- er Maltese clubs that will play in the Europa League later this month. "Our medical officer is in con- stant communication with UE- FA to ensure medical protocols are in place. This is the reality dictated by current circum- stances," Borg said. On match day, only footballers, 10 committee members from each club and journalists will be allowed to enter the ground. The game will be played in ee- rie silence with no supporters to cheer on the team. And the same rules are expect- ed to be adopted by the MFA for the domestic leagues. The association has decided to play domestic games behind closed doors until further notice. Clubs will have to appoint a medical officer to oversee safe- ty protocols, no dressing room showers will be allowed and sup- porters will not be allowed to follow team training sessions. A decision on the Youth FA leagues will be taken at a lat- er stage depending on whether schools will reopen as usual in September. Domestic football competi- tions are scheduled to start next month. Malta has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases, in line with similar trends witnessed in Eu- rope. The increase in cases has led government to reintroduce some restrictions on mass gath- erings and make mask wearing mandatory in retail outlets and public transport. Floriana kick off football season in the shadow of the coronavirus Floriana will play against Romanian side CFR Cluj at the Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qali in the first qualifying round of the Champions League. The game kicks off at 9pm on Wednesday 19 August "This is the new reality that football has to get used to and a stark reminder that getting back on the field of play was never going to be an easy task."