Dubai: Football Leagues across Europe have been set a deadline of May 25 to inform governing body Uefa about their plans to finish the 2019-2020 season.
The Uefa has requested all the leagues across Europe to communicate their plans concerning the season stopped due to coronavirus pandemic at least two days before the governing body’s next executive committee meeting that has been scheduled for May 27.
Following a meeting of its executive committee last week, the Uefa strongly recommended all leagues on hold should be completed where possible. At the same time, the executive committee suggested the deadline as part of the governing body’s guidelines on eligibility principles for 2020-2021 Uefa club competitions.
For the moment, it has been proposed that top divisions could be seen out in a different format of competition, or where resumption is not feasible, national associations could be asked to decide spots for next season’s continental competitions on sporting merit.
“In the event that a domestic competition is to be prematurely terminated for legitimate reasons in accordance with [conditions set out by the executive committee], Uefa would require the national association to explain by May 25, 2020 … the special circumstances justifying such premature termination and to select clubs for Uefa club competitions 2020-2021 on the basis of sporting merit in the 2019-20 domestic competitions,” a statement from the Uefa said.
For the moment, Bundesliga clubs have returned to training and could be back on the pitch starting May 9, while teams from the Italian Serie A could start closed door training sessions a week later.
However, the situation is still unclear about the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and the Ligue ! from France. While the English FA has suggested a start by June 8, all three associations have planned talks later this week before arriving at a decision.
