Jesus Owono: Tenerife boss Alvaro Cervera says 12-match ban ‘might seem light’ but accepts rules

Cervera, 61, also described the experience of returning to training and preparing for the next match as “tough” and “complicated.”

“When we are together we are fine, during our sessions we are fine,” he said.

“It feels like the group is gradually getting back to normal. What we don’t know is how everyone is doing when we’re apart and that’s a big factor.

“Everyone has their own way of coping and their own thoughts; some have people at home to support them, while others are more alone.

“We are making progress, a very slow process, but we are moving forward. It’s hard, it’s complicated.”

He also said he wasn’t sure his players were ready to return to play, describing how some would appreciate a distraction and others wouldn’t be in the right frame of mind yet.

“Both positions are reasonable,” Cervera added.

“On the one hand, you want to return to some sense of normalcy, even if you know that true normality is not something you will find right now.

“It’s not something you can just put aside or push to the back of your mind to focus on your own work; it’s not like other life events you might encounter. It’s always there, constantly in the back of your mind, but we have to keep going.”