Uncertainty in football continues to reign supreme as major football associations continue to operate and attempt taking decisions in unchartered territory. So far however, amongst the big nations, only France and Spain had decided to announce an indefinite postponement of their national competitions setting no date to resume games.
UEFA postponed all international matches scheduled to be played in June, including the qualification playoffs for next year’s European Championship, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“All national team matches for men and women due to be played in June 2020 are postponed until further notice,” UEFA said in a statement. “This includes the playoff matches for EURO 2020 (which has been postponed until 2021) and qualifying matches for the women’s EURO 2021.”
The Champions League, Europa League and other international friendly matches have also been postponed “until further notice.” Both international club competitions were halted during the last-16 stage, with the last matches taking place on March 12.
UEFA has also said that cancelling the 2019/20 season due to coronavirus a ‘last resort’.
Friday, England’s Premier League has announced that play will not resume “until it is safe to do so,” ruling out a return to action by the beginning of May.
Football was provisionally suspended in the UK until April 30 and the Premier League has said it is “working closely with the whole of professional football in this country, as well as with the government, public agencies and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the game achieves a collaborative solution.”
n a marathon four-hour meeting between all twenty clubs, it was agreed that the league would be suspended ‘indefinitely’ for the time being until it is ‘safe’ to resume – while there was also a recommendation for all players to take a 30 percent wage cut.
DW reports that the league also said it would be providing a £125 million ($153m) fund for the English Football League, which operates levels two to four of the football pyramid, and National League to help those even further down, as well as a £20 million charitable donation to Britain’s National Health Service (NHS).
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) will meet with league and club officials to discuss the proposal on Saturday.
In Italy, where professional football is currently suspended until 3rd May, the situation also remains very fluid, with the football association pushing for a continuation and regular ending to the season.
A number of Serie A sides proposing a similar arrangement is growing. Torino, Udinese, Sampdoria, Genoa, Spal and Brescia have put forward the idea of calling it a day in Serie A.
Juventus, Lazio, Roma, Napoli, Verona, Parma, Sassuolo and Lecce are eager to see the season to its natural conclusion, with the current leaders moving towards renouncing the title if it is offered to them based on the table as it stands. Inter, Atalanta, Milan, Bologna, Cagliari and Fiorentina have not made any official statements and will wait and see what transpires. Torino, Udinese, Sampdoria, Genoa, Spal and Brescia are all in the lower reaches of the Serie A table and would benefit from any plans to suspend relegation and promotion.
Juventus were whoever reported that they will refuse the Serie A title if the coronavirus pandemic ends the season early, Italian football chief Gabriele Gravina has claimed. Juventus are top of the table with 12 matches remaining but the coronavirus crisis KO’d Italian football until April 13 at the earliest.
In Belgium, the board of directors of the country’s Pro League has recommended to its General Assembly that the rest of the 2019-20 season be canceled and that the current standings be declared final. This would mean that Club Bruges, who have a 15-point lead over KAA Gent after 29 matchdays would be crowned Pro League champions.
A statement issued by the Pro League said the recommendation came as a result of a conference call among the directors to consider whether the season should go forward. It added that the decision had taken into account “public health, the interests of all stakeholders and the wish of the majority of clubs not to resume competition.” The recommendation is subject to approval by the league’s licensing commission and the General Assembly, which is scheduled to to meet on April 15.
However, UEFA has branded cancelling the 2019/20 season due to coronavirus a ‘last resort’ after Belgium made the ‘premature’ decision to end its leagues.
A letter from the presidents of European football’s governing body, the European Club Association and the European Leagues group to national associations, leagues and clubs read “With no unity and no solidarity, nobody will be able to get out of the crisis as we are all interdependent.
A working group is looking at the fixture calendar, and the letter stated it will advise as soon as possible – and ideally by the middle of May – about which plan for resumption to follow.
“Their work is now focusing on scenarios encompassing the months of July and August, including the possibility that the UEFA competitions restart after the completion of domestic leagues,” the letter continued.
The Bundesliga remains hopeful it can resume the 2019/20 season from May, as the German Football League (DFL) confirmed its suspension until at least April 30. The 36 clubs that make up the top two flights of German football approved the extension of the league break until at least the end of April as recommended by the DFL Executive Committee at a “virtual assembly” via video link.
The DFL haven’t ruled out the Bundesliga returning from May, with the remaining games of the season played behind closed doors.
The biggest challenge for clubs around Europe will however be related to players’ contractual obligations. With most players signing contracts expiring at the June, which traditionally formalises the conclusion of the football season, should tournaments be concluded in July, technically a number of clubs may lose the services of their stars should no agreement be reached until then.
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