Real Madrid tells fans to celebrate at home, avoid Cibeles if they win La Liga

Real Madrid is leading La Liga by four points with only two games remaining.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Real Madrid CF has called on its supporters to celebrate in their respective homes and refrain from gathering at the Cibeles fountain should the team win the Spanish La Liga title.

Real Madrid is currently four points ahead of its closest rival, FC Barcelona, with only two games left to play. They have the opportunity to secure the title if they with their upcoming match against Villarreal on Thursday evening.

Traditionally, when Real Madrid wins a major title, the players have a parade on the team bus wherein they showcase the trophy in the streets of the capital for all of their supporters to see. The procession ends at the Cibeles fountain, where a makeshift stage is usually constructed. This is where a majority of fans gather to celebrate with club officials and their favourite players. The players often stay and join in on the festivities that last all night and well into the following day.

Thousands of people have been accustomed to joining these celebrations and in the current situation, the team has issued an appeal out of an abundance of caution. In the Real Madrid website, a part of the statement read:

"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 do 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."

The team also acknowledged that the battle is far from over both in La Liga and against the coronavirus. While the appeal was issued in the hopes that the title will be theirs, Real Madrid also noted that FC Barcelona still has a mathematical chance to win La Liga.

Likewise, the team says that it does not want a title victory to create a step back in the fight to stop the pandemic. Spain is one of the hardest hit countries in the world, with over 256,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 28,000 deaths.