Lion Links: 5/12/20

Happy Tuesday, everyone. This whole mess drags on, but at least things are beginning to open back up around Florida. If you’re able to, I encourage you to get outside a little bit this week, I find it helps a lot to get some sun and move around. There’s plenty to discuss today, so let’s get after it.

MLS Proposes Salary Cuts

Major League Soccer has made a proposal to the Major League Soccer Players Association regarding salary cuts because of the current pandemic. The league is seeking a 20% reduction in pay across the board for all players. The league is also reportedly asking the players association to accept additional cuts aside from salaries that could potentially go up to tens of millions of dollars. A pay cut across the board without considerations for players making money on the low end of the spectrum is unlikely to sit well with the MLSPA, so it’ll certainly be interesting to see how the situation progresses.

MLS Simulations

It would have been the 11th week of the Major League Soccer season this past weekend, and as such the folks over at MLSsoccer.com continued simulating the season on FIFA 20. It was a mixed bag for Orlando City this week, as the Lions beat the Houston Dynamo 3-0 but lost to Minnesota United 3-1. Funnily enough Orlando remains near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, sitting in second place with 20 points. If the real season resembles the virtual one when it finally resumes then the Lions should be sitting pretty. Although, to be fair, no games have been simulated in the month of June yet, and we all know how unkind the summer is to Orlando City.

Possible Premier League Restart

Good news, people. There is now a potential restart date for the Premier League. A report was published yesterday detailing the United Kingdom’s plan for exiting lockdown measures, and part of that plan allows for the resumption of sports in the country after June 1. There are a few caveats, however, as games would only be allowed behind closed doors with broadcast access, and the spread of the virus would still need to be limited before proceeding to that phase of reopening. It also seems to be the majority of clubs’ preferences to be able to play both home and away matches, rather than at a neutral site as was previously suggested.

Serie A Team Training

There is also now a date for when Serie A clubs are allowed to resume team training sessions. While clubs have been allowed to conduct individual training since May 4, the Italian government has announced that team training will be allowed to begin on May 18 as long as all teams follow adjusted protocols. With Serie A suspended since March 9, officials are keen to resume play, especially since there are still nine rounds of games that need to be completed before the season is over. However, after several players tested positive after individual training resumed last week, play resuming on May 18 is not a guarantee yet.

Free Kicks

• Check out some sights from another day of individual training for the Lions.

• Joey DeZart worked out and answered some questions.

• A 19-year-old Atalanta player has died after suffering an aneurysm.
• The English FA still remains committed to settling the remainder of the season “by merit” rather than voiding the remaining games.

That’ll do it for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.