Japan was the latest league to announce its schedule for a return to action, setting out the crammed fixture list earlier this week.

 

It returns on Saturday July 4th with a full round that day and another in midweek on the 8th. With the full 34 game programme ending on December 19th, there will be nine midweek rounds total and teams will be asked to play 33 games (one round was completed before the league was suspended) inside 168 days, pretty much one every 5 days and very un-J-league like . The original schedule set to be played out between Feb 21 and December 5 ,effectively a game every 8.5 days.

 

Players in J-League are very committed and "always" give their best, but tiredness is sure to play a factor and doubly so as many teams will have little to play for late in the campaign with relegation having been scrapped for this season and the league extended to 20 teams for 2021, with just two set to be promoted from the second tier.

 

Stay safe and good luck !