‘You have to be sporting’: Ilkay Gundogan says he ‘would be ok’ if Liverpool were handed Premier League title due to coronavirus
- Ilkay Gundogan has weighed in on the debate on the future of the current season
- The Manchester City man says he ‘would be ok’ if Liverpool were handed title
- Premier League suspended until at least 30 April due to coronavirus pandemic
- Reds are currently 25 points clear at top of Premier League before suspension
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan says he would have no complaints if Liverpool were handed the Premier League title if the season were to be cancelled early due to the coronavirus pandemic.
All games in the Premier League have been suspended until at least 30 April due to the outbreak of COVID-19, with the delay highly expected to extend far beyond that date as the UK continues to be in a state of emergency.
The severe disruption to the calendar has triggered much confusion and debate over the future of the current top flight season, with Liverpool 25 points clear at the top of the table as things stand.
Ilkay Gundogan insists he ‘would be ok’ if Liverpool were handed the Premier League title
The huge gap the Reds have amassed have led for calls to cancel the season and hand them the Premier League, which the midfielder for current reigning champions City says he would have no problem with.
‘It would be okay for me (If Liverpool are handed the title), you have to be sporting,’ Gundogan told ZDF.
It is not just Premier League teams that have been forced into suspension, as teams from lower down the English football pyramid face uncertainty due to lost revenue from ticket sales following the closure.
The Reds have amassed a 25 point lead at the top of the Premier League before suspension
When asked if he would be in favour of top players in England sacrificing their salaries in order to help clubs in the lower leagues survive, Gundogan responded: ‘Of course I would find that okay, of course. But the lower league clubs do not have it so easy.’
As well as actual games being cancelled, players have also had to train by themselves in isolation as the UK government urges people to stay in their homes to prevent the spread of the disease, and the 29-year-old shed some light on how he was coping with the change.
‘I have to admit that it is not that easy to deal with. It is an exceptional situation that cannot be fully grasped, Gundogan added, ‘You are sometimes afraid to go for a walk for 10 to 15 minutes outside.
‘Even though it was oddly and ironically extremely beautiful from the weather here in Manchester.’
All elite football in England has been suspended until at least 30 April due to the coronavirus