Real Madrid Asks Fans Not to Celebrate Potential La Liga Title in Public

Real Madrid could clinch the title as early as Thursday.

Real Madrid is on the cusp of winning La Liga's title, but after seeing what happened after Liverpool's Premier League triumph, it wants its fans to stay inside.

Real Madrid issued a public statement on Tuesday urging fans not to gather to celebrate any potential title considering the coronavirus concerns that still persist in Spain and its capital city. It's been customary for the club's supporters to celebrate its many successes at the Cibeles fountain, but Real Madrid strongly prefers that tradition to be put on hold.

"Real Madrid C.F. calls on its club members and supporters not to gather in Cibeles in the event that the team secures the La Liga title," the club wrote. "We are all aware of the difficult situation that we are experiencing and the efforts being made across society to counter the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Football is also playing its part in this and, with everyone's help, we managed to resume the competition in extremely complex circumstances."

Real Madrid will win the league Thursday if it beats Villarreal or Barcelona loses to Osasuna. Real leads Barça by four points with two games remaining and holds the tiebreaker vs. Barcelona by virtue of a better head-to-head mark this season. When Liverpool won its first English title in 30 years, fans flocked to Anfield and drew the ire of the club and local law enforcement. Real Madrid doesn't want a repeat.

"In the event that Real Madrid are crowned champions, our players will not visit the usual points of celebration, in particular, the Plaza de Cibeles and we therefore also ask our club members and supporters that, in the event that we secure the title, they did not gather in these places. In this regard, all of us must make a contribution, as has been the case to date, and show the utmost responsibility to avoid the risk of contagion," Real Madrid's statement continued. 

"Real Madrid thanks our members and supporters in advance for their understanding. All of the effort and work put in by our players, coaching staff and the club towards this possible title success has always been done with a view to sharing the triumph with our fans, but we are aware that the current situation obliges us to maximize the necessary precautionary measures. 

"Real Madrid feels the duty to issue this important call in a show of utmost responsibility and with the firm belief that any possible triumph involving our team must not give rise to a massive backward step in the battle we are all waging against this pandemic."

Real Madrid and Barcelona have simultaneous kickoffs on Thursday. Should Real Madrid lose and Barcelona win, the title would go down to the final day of the season on Sunday.