European football’s governing body have announced their executive committee and general secretaries will meet over how to resolve the 2019-20 season
UEFA have announced they will meet next week to again discuss how to conclude the 2019-20 season amid the effects of coronavirus.
Football across the continent has been brought to an almost complete standstill by the Covid-19 pandemic, with all major leagues along with Champions League and Europa League competitions postponed on the grounds of public safety.
No firm resolution has yet been made as to how the seasons can be concluded, or whether results will have to be annulled or leagues brought to an early stop.
On Thursday, UEFA announced their executive committee will meet via videoconference next Thursday, April 23, to discuss the latest developments regarding the impact caused by the coronavirus outbreak on European football.
Topics will include possible resolutions to UEFA competitions this season, and how best to organise the Champions League and Europa League in the 2020-21 campaign.
It was also announced that the UEFA general secretaries – the representatives of their 55 member associations – will also meet next Tuesday, April 21, to look at developments across both domestic and European competitions.
These will include whether leagues should be abandoned or continued, whether current standings should be taken into account, and how best to organise next season and who should be national representatives in continental competitions.
Claims and rumours about how UEFA will resolve this unprecedented situation have been numerous in recent weeks, with the organisation having to deny that they have set an August 3 deadline for this year’s Champions League to be completed.
Reports in Germany quoted UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin as making these claims, however, this was later denied in an official statement, which said that neither Ceferin nor his organisation have set definite dates for when the 2019-20 season has to be concluded as yet.
They say talks are ongoing with leagues and clubs around Europe as to when competitions can be finished, and that matches could be played as late as August should it be required.
The statement read: “It has been reported that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin told ZDF in Germany that the Champions League must finish by August 3. This is not true. The President was very clear not to set exact dates for the end of the season.
“UEFA is currently analysing all options to complete domestic and European seasons with the European Club Association and the European Leagues in the working group set up on March 17. The primary priority of all the members of the working group is to preserve public health.
“Following on from that, it is to find calendar solutions to complete all competitions. Options are currently being studied to play matches in July and in August if needed, depending on restart dates and the permission of national authorities.”
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