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Former Real Madrid and Brazil boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo has called on Brazilian authorities to delay football's return as the South American country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
Internacional and Gremio last week became the first Brazilian top-flight clubs to resume training after football was halted in mid-March to contain the spread of COVID-19. Several other clubs, including Rio de Janeiro giants Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, have announced plans to follow suit.
But Luxemburgo, who began a fifth spell in charge of Palmeiras last December, said now was not the right time to think about sport.
"Football cannot send the wrong message," the 68-year-old told Brazilian cable television network SporTV on Saturday. "There are people trying to force football back because the stadiums are empty, there is no entertainment and football can prompt the start of other businesses.
"But people are dying. Every day the number of victims in Brazil is increasing. That's what people have to worry about," added Luxemburgo, who was Brazil's national team manager from 1998 to 2000 and had an 11-month spell in charge of Real Madrid in 2005.
Brazil is the worst-affected South American nation by the coronavirus outbreak with more than 150,000 confirmed cases and over 10,600 deaths so far, according to health ministry figures.
Luxemburgo said his Palmeiras players were responding well to home training schedules designed by the club's fitness staff.
"Our training has been very good. I told the players that it was not a request, but an obligation. It will ensure that they come back with a good base so that they can reach peak condition quickly," he said.
Luxemburgo is the most successful manager in the history of Brazil's top flight with five Serie A titles, including back-to-back triumphs with Palmeiras in 1993 and 1994.
