FOOTBALL fans around the world are waiting patiently for the Premier League to return.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in most sport around the globe being either cancelled or postponed – and there’s been no top-flight football in England since March 13.
The Premier League has been suspended indefinitelyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
What date will the Premier League return?
WHAT we currently know for sure is that the Premier League and EFL seasons are on hold indefinitely.
This means there is no concrete date for a restart.
Initially, bosses gave an optimistic date for talks on April 3 when suspending football down the pyramid in mid-March.
That was extended until April 30, before bosses confirmed they had taken the decision to indefinitely suspend proceedings and resume ‘when safe to do so’.
Liverpool were closing in on their first league title of the Premier League eraCredit: PA:Press Association
Cancelling the season remains a last resort and would result in huge financial issues for teams from top to bottom of England’s football pyramid.
SunSport delved into the financial cost of a cancellation and it was bad news for every Premier League team.
Manchester United would be hardest hit, losing a whopping £116.4m, while Norwich would be least affected but still facing a massive £19.5m hole.
As for what happens next, the situation continues to be ever-changing.
Premier League bosses maintain that they want the 2019/20 played out, but whether that means taking it behind-closed-doors remains to be seen.
Declaring the season null and void, or finishing the season with the current standings, are both unpopular with fans and bigwigs.
There was even a suggestion of the league heading to CHINA or Qatar in a bid to complete the remaining matches, but that appears to have been shelved.
Fifa have set out their own guidelines in a bid to help domestic leagues get their season finished when safe to do so.
This includes changes to the transfer windows, as well as contract extensions to help clubs negotiate what could be a legal minefield in the summer.
On 12 April, it was reported that the Premier League could return in June or July as a solely ‘TV event’, with it suggested that Wembley could be used to stage up to FOUR games a day to make it happen.
Premier League clubs are due to meet on Friday 17 April by video call where they will discuss how to pick a way through the ongoing coronavirus crisis – with clubs thought to be leaning towards a resolution to the season by the end of June when some players’ contracts expire.
How many games are left?
THE last game that took place in the Premier League was on March 9.
Leicester demolished Aston Villa 4-0 at the King Power Stadium to consolidate their position in the top three.
The majority of the league have played 29 league games, with Villa, Sheffield United, Man City and Arsenal all with an extra match to play.
That leaves nine matches remaining for the majority, ten for the above sides.
Here’s how the currently table looks:
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
