Scrapping Premier League season would be ridiculous, feels John Barnes

Former Liverpool footballer John Barnes referred to the section of people asking for Premier League season to be called off as ridiculous and stated his former side deserves to be crowned champions following a great season.

Liverpool were within touching distance of winning their first top-flight title in 30 years before coronavirus pandemic abruptly halted all football in the country.

Barnes, who won two top-division titles and two FA Cups with Liverpool, believes Premier League can follow in the footsteps of their counterparts in Germany in their bid to end the season where Bundesliga is up and running behind closed doors.

"There are lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begin the next campaign, which is ridiculous," Barnes told WION.

"The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled.

"So the Premier League can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months. As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions," he added.

Premier League authorities are currently looking at mid-June as a possible return date for resumption of top-tier football in the country. Players have already returned to individual training while contact training has also been given the go-ahead unanimously by the teams.

While Barnes is of the opinion that no one can guarantee 100 percent safety in today's times, he stated people will have to get used to the 'new normal'. He also said that no one knows when the crisis will end so sports will have to find a way to return to the field soon.

"The most important thing for us is to be relatively safe from the coronavirus. If we wait for the virus to completely disappear, then we might not return to competitive football in the next few years," he said.