Real Oviedo Director of Football Francesc Arnau took part in a virtual press conference with journalists, in which he answered a series of questions put to him by the media outlets which follow the latest events at Los Azules.
What do you think might happen to the league season? Which options are in the mix?*
- Rather than explaining to you what is going to happen, I can explain the lines we are working on, even with LaLiga. You can't think about what is going to happen right now; it can change in hours. The question is when we will be able to go back out onto the street and recover our normal lives. We understand that there are more important things than getting football back. As events come to pass, we continue working. A draft from LaLiga leaked yesterday, but it's a first draft to try to resume the season. Nobody is capable of saying how it will be resumed. Football has a lot of repercussion, but setting any dates would be a mistake. We don't know what is going to happen. There are people from governing bodies who are the people who will decide when the State of Alert is over and when we can go back to normal life. We have seen that different sectors have made different proposals, but it all depends on the rates of coronavirus in each country.
There is the possibility of the season being extended beyond 30th June, which is the date that a lot of contracts come to an end. Is that a problem? Is it being considered?*
- First, we have to know when it's going to start again, but it seems like a utopia to think that LaLiga could be finished by 30th June. People will have to look into the legal way of extending the contracts. I refer to FIFA and the proposal it has made, which would be to respect the 19/20 season, but, even so, legal issues come up which would need to be
considered. I don't know whether some sector can oblige those involved to do that, but the transfer window would need to be looked at, so that players can start the next season. It opens a huge legal issue, with unknowns, which makes it impossible to answer. When it is decided that we can get back to playing, whether behind closed doors or with fans, you would have to find an understanding between the federations, leagues, and players, to adjust the regulatory framework in each country. I think it would be behind closed doors, to avoid new outbreaks of the virus.
What impact will this have on an economic level at Real Oviedo? Have there been conversations with Arturo?
- The football business is going to earn less money, although there is some money being paid in advance by LaLiga. With regards to ticket sales, season tickets and advertising, there are losses. Since we aren't playing, we are losing money. Clubs, according to their own ways of thinking, are putting ways of operating in place. Regarding Real Oviedo, there are losses, but having a strong owner like Arturo Elías means that we haven't yet considered an ERTE (legislation to temporarily reduce wages). You have to understand that the situation can change, and we will make decisions according to the best way to proceed. We considered every possible scenario, but we aren't going to do that at the moment.
What's your analysis of the LaLiga draft proposal, and do you think the example of Belgium will be followed?
- I understand, from first-hand accounts, that the Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga are going to finish the season. Another thing will be if the dates ruin it for us or we can't solve the issue of coronavirus. I don't think our case is like that of Belgium. They will try to finish LaLiga by any means, as long as FIFA and UEFA allow it. I am paying attention to the LaLiga draft, but it doesn't allow for the fact that there are 42 very different clubs involved. The intention of the draft is good, since it looks to solve the situation of not being able to play or train, but adjustments need to be made and it must be made more general. Madrid and Barcelona's resources aren't the same as our's, and nor are Lugo's or Extremadura's. I am focusing on their intention to make a guide. It's a start towards setting rules and returning to training.
How worried are the players about the situation?
- There's a bit of everything. I have found some players are finding the quarantine hard, since we've asked both the first-team and B-team members to stay here. Those who have families are more worried, but there are a couple of lads who have found being at home tough. The players are worried about what might happen. Football is going through a difficult time, but we will get through it. They need to stay calm. It's their future, and it's normal that it would worry them. They are waiting for it to be resolved, so that they are able to do what they like doing best, which is playing football. You can see that they haven't got the adrenaline of being a footballer, and you miss that.
How does the football management structure organise itself? Do you watch football? Expand databases? How do you plan for the transfer market? Is there time to do contract renewals?
- There are four of us working. Alex Díaz, Roberto Suárez, David Comamala and I are all connected by telecommuting. We store information in a simple, easy way, and we look at the work they do; every report and match. We are preparing different scenarios regarding the market, which will depend on the money we have. There is more time now to collect information, make calls to agents; things which take longer, and are more appreciated on a personal level. We are gathering information and looking at different markets. With respect to the market, I don't believe that the date makes any difference; we will make ourselves active. I think that if the market only lasts one month, we would do the same operations that we would have done in two months. The only thing is that we would have less time available and would have to do it all at one hundred miles an hour. With respect to renewals, we have spoken about our intentions, but we wanted to see how things went for us in the table, and then coronavirus arrived. It makes no sense to talk about it now, since we don't know where we are going to go. We want to avoid the margin of error, and it's not a good time for renewals, for the good of everything. When this is resolved it will be an improvement for the players' interests and for those of the club.
Another possibility is for the season to end now and be voided. In that case, would Real Oviedo be prepared to renew Ziganda's contract?
- Voiding the season is the last of all the possible options, although you do always have to wait and see. You had started to notice Cuco's work, particularly in the team's direction. We were going into the final stages in good condition, solid, and showing that we could win when we did things well. Personally, I would be delighted if he could continue here for a long time. He has a contract for next season if keeps us in the division.
Does Real Oviedo have an exact date set for a return to training?
- I know that they've started in Germany, but we haven't planned for it. It wouldn't be right. It would do more harm than good. The players are working, and I think it would be counterproductive for them to train. If the rate of contagion drops, then, after putting some protocols in place, it would be possible. The week before the State of Alert came in, we were using some protocols in the club, and we are used to it. As such, if we had to use them, it wouldn't be a problem. We are trying to maintain the fitness of our players, as much as we possibly can. The doctor, the nutritionist... everything that is in our hands has been made available to them, so that they lose as little fitness as possible. They have even had a tactical chat with Ziganda, so that they can keep working.
In the case of the league season not resuming, will LaLiga stay as it is?
- We are working with hypotheticals, since the season being cancelled will mean lots of things need to be decided, first of all the promotions and relegations. Then there are a number of conditioning factors which can affect a lot of things. There has to be consensus between the Federation and LaLiga, and it not then it must be President Rubiales or a body he has delegated to which decides. I don't know what they will decide... what I can say is that we are at risk of relegation, and they will have to decide who goes to play in Europe. I can't answer you, only prepare for different scenarios, but I hope that relegation doesn't affect us, and that we can stay in the division.
There could be a crash in the transfer market, which has previously seen astronomical figures. Real Oviedo is going to find players available to them that they couldn't sign before. Will there be a crash in the market?
- There are clubs that are at the limit. You only have to look at the ERTEs, and the others that have money in the bank. Each one has to look at its business model. There will not be stratospheric signings. I hope that the prices drop in football, because there is going to be a loss in everything. If the world economy isn't running, then there won't be
advertising in football, and that means less money for signings. We are going to see a reduction in earnings and in wages. If not now, then it will be in the coming years.
Have you spoken to the players whose contracts end on 30th June?
- I've spoken with them, but I haven't seen too many nerves. They've demonstrated maturity and an understanding of the situation and what we are all going through. It's not time to renew contracts, given that we don't know the budget we are going to have. There are a lot of factors, and we have to wait to see how they work out. Scenarios come up, and we will have to look at it when they come to pass. The economic motor of clubs and football moves according to the wage league, and when we know the effect of the losses, we will be able to adjust to the individual situation of each one.
Has Real Oviedo received the tests from LaLiga? How much recovery time is needed between matches?
- We haven't received any tests. It could be that other clubs have due to their need and proximity to the worst-affected areas. Regarding recovery times, it's being discussed by the Federation and LaLiga. I can tell you that footballers cannot recover in 48 hours. A footballer playing at high intensity every 48 hours will not last more than 3 matches. The gaps between matches are what they are. They exist for a reason.
*How did you experience the club's anniversary?*
- The club tried to do as much as possible, trying to reach the hearts of Oviedistas at a time of loneliness. It was a shame not to be able to celebrate it with the fans, together. What you miss most is the good company. That's what we are missing and want to recover. It's not just the anniversary initiatives, but all of the things they are doing are things that show that Real Oviedo is a community club, which thinks about its fans and the people who love Real Oviedo.
