Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
This Spanish footballer who plays in the Nicaraguan top-flight, one of the few leagues still in operation, has said “it would be unfair to put the coronavirus above everything else”.
Spanish winger Pablo Gallego, 26, made the comments in an interview with Spanish newspaper ‘El Espanol’ where he shed insight on the current situation in Nicaragua as the top-flight Liga Primera Nicaragua is one of the last in the world to continue playing along with the Belarussian Premier League.
Almost all other major leagues and sporting events around the world have been suspended due to the coronavirus, officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization.
When speaking about the situation in Nicaragua, Gallego said: “Here at the moment, we are not going through it, everything is under control and the government has taken measures like closing cinemas and places with large crowds but has not announced a state of alarm or confinement.”
Gallego said the Nicaraguan Football Federation cancelled all “football in all categories except for the first tier which is played behind close doors” as the Liga Primera is a different brand from the other competitions.
However, to keep players safe, Gallego said there “are meetings every two days to see how everything is going in case the league has to be suspended.” Adding: “I suppose if new cases arise we will also stop.”
The Managua winger went on to say: “People live day to day here as there are many independent jobs. If you stop working you stop making money and there is no help here.
“If you confine yourself, you starve. The coronavirus does not stop Nicaragua and there are people here that have other worries. It would be unfair to put the coronavirus above everything else.”
When asked if he was himself scared Gallego said: “No because I can play without a problem. COVID-19 does not have an effect here but I am worried about what is happening in Spain,” referring to his family and friends who still live in the Iberian country.
However, Gallego added: “Playing without fans is strange and cold. It even makes you more worried. Everything is difficult.”
Gallego plays for Managua FC who sit top of Nicaraguan top-flight Liga Primera Nicaragua with 28 points.
Nicaragua has a reported four cases of COVID-19 which have lead to one death. Spain has been one of the hardest-hit reporting 85,195 cases leading to 7,340 deaths.
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