Paris (AFP) – Football leagues across Europe have been suspended since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed over 100,000 lives throughout the continent.
Lockdown restrictions are in effect worldwide although some countries are cautiously beginning to ease stay-at-home orders.
AFP Sport looks at what we know about possible restart plans for Europe’s top leagues:
ENGLAND
The Premier League said that wrapping up the remaining 92 fixtures remains their goal, but the ongoing COVID-19 crisis means no fixed schedule can be drawn up yet.
With most clubs having nine games left, it was reported that Friday’s meeting of the 20 clubs discussed finishing the season in a 40-day window.
There have been claims that clubs were told domestic seasons must end by July 31 and the 2020-21 campaign must start by the first week of September at the latest.
The UK’s lockdown is in place until May 7 at the earliest.
There is a general acceptance among clubs that matches will be played behind closed doors if the competition can resume, with restrictions on mass gatherings likely to remain in force for the foreseeable future.
A Premier League statement said a number of complex scenarios were being worked through, with fears that failure to finish the season could cost it more than £1 billion ($1.2 billion).
SPAIN
La Liga chief Javier Tebas last week said play could restart as early as next month, although a two-week extension of the nationwide lockdown until May 9 announced Saturday appears to have scuppered those plans.
Tebas said no team training could take place until after the state of emergency ends in Spain, but he was adamant “it is not an option” to cancel the season given the massive hit to revenue Spain’s top clubs would have to absorb. He estimated cancellation would cost teams around a billion euros ($1.08 billion).
May 28-29, June 6-7 and June 28-29 were the three dates Tebas cited for a potential return to competition.
Fixtures are expected to be held behind closed doors initially, with some clubs facing the prospect of playing away from their own grounds due to scheduled building work.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has proposed using the current standings to decide which teams qualify for Europe if the season is scrapped. La Liga and UEFA have not given their approval to the plan.
ITALY
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said club matches could resume “in late May, early June”, saying those advocating cancellation of the season “do not like football, or Italians”.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2XM13Jq
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