UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said Monday that leagues across Europe were ready to return to action behind closed doors in a bid to limit the damage caused by coronavirus.
Football leagues have been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic
which has claimed more than 100,000 lives throughout the continent.
But the head of European football believes that playing would be an
important step towards a return to normal life and avoid heavy financial losses
for leagues.
“I believe there are options that can allow us to restart cup championships and to complete them,” Ceferin said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
“We may have to resume without spectators, but the most important thing,
I think, is playing games.
“It is early to say that we cannot complete the season. The impact would
be terrible for clubs and leagues. Better to play behind closed doors than not
at all.
“In such hard times it would bring happiness to people and a certain
sense of normality even if the games can only be seen on TV.
“All activities are being organised to start again, everyone needs to
find their lives.
“If safety measures are respected and if the authorities give the green
light, the training could resume like the rest.
“Further consent will be needed for matches.”
Ceferin said that if leagues returned “soon
enough” then Champions League and Europa League matches could “be played in
parallel” with no date limit for the finals.
The Slovenian said he was not in favour of the season going into
September and October as it “would have a heavy impact” on the 2020-2021
campaign.
“We can finish, but we must respect the decisions taken by authorities,”
he continued.
“The priority is the health of fans, players and coaches.”
As for countries who have decided not to finish the season, Ceferin said that UEFA “will
review the cases”.
“Such decisions were not made alone,” he said.
“Football is interconnected, we have seen how important it is for UEFA
and leagues to work in good cooperation. The executive committee will review
the cases.”
He added: “Leagues are the revenue base for clubs nationwide. If
completed, the financial consequences will be limited.
“UEFA, on the other hand, will lose a lot of money for postponing Euro
2020.”
