UEFA chiefs want this season’s Champions League and Europa League finals wrapped up by August.
The football federation’s president Aleksander Ceferin has said the summer is the deadline for all of Europe’s top leagues.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin wants the Champions League and Europa League finals played by AugustCredit: REUTERS
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He expects “80 per cent” of the European leagues to be completed by that date – or have cancelled their campaigns due to Covid-19.
The Champions League final is the curtain-closer on the season so that will be the last match of the season.
That is likely to take place in Turkey on August 29 at the very latest.
Those leagues that do not complete their season by that date could forfeit places in next season’s European competitions – or face a series of gruelling qualifiers.
Most football leagues in Europe have been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The German Bundesliga restarted on May 16.
Premier League chiefs hope matches in England can begin again on June 9.
With leagues in Holland, France and Belgium already cancelled, the pressure is on the Premier League, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s LaLiga to wrap things up in 14 weeks’ time – or completely cancel their seasons.
Ceferin told beIN Sports: ““We have an idea but we have to wait for the executive committee of Uefa to confirm the dates.
“I can say that the European season will be finished, if everything is as it is now, in August.
“As things look now, I’m sure… that we can finish the European season and this means Uefa competition.
“I think the majority of leagues will finish the season. The ones who will not, it’s their decision.
“But they will still have to play qualifiers if they want to participate in the European Uefa competition.”
The Champions League are only at the Last 16 stage, so face a frantic battle to get it wrapped up in 14 weeks.
Most European countries have shut their borders and even if they reopen in a month’s time, players from foreign teams could be in quarantine for two weeks after landing in any given country.
This makes the competition even harder to complete and is one reason Uefa chiefs have looked at playing in as a tournament in one country to get it over and done with.
But Prem chiefs will plough on to complete all their 92 games even if stars test positive for the virus.
Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon will both have to play their European games at neutral grounds abroad after the French government banned any professional sport until September.
Ceferin questioned the French government’s decision.
He said: ““If you cannot play in your country, then you have to organise it at a neutral ground… I don’t see the reason why French authorities would not allow them to organise a match without spectators, but let’s see. It’s out of my power.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
