Champions League and Europa League could be abandoned

In the sort of news to make die-hard soccer fanatics cringe, the Champions League and Europa League competitions have every chance of being abandoned if coronavirus restrictions remain in place into September.

Read: Anthony Joshua world title defence postponed

This is according to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin who said playing games behind closed doors would be preferred to abandonment. Champions League and Europa League matches are all currently suspended indefinitely until further notice. “We can’t play it out in September or October,” Ceferin told the weekly sport magazine show, ZDF Sportstudio.

Uefa-Boss Ceferin: Der Ball muss spätestens Ende Juni wieder ...
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said the Champions League and Europa League could be abandoned if coronavirus restrictions remain in place into September (Image: Reuters).

If the authorities do not allow us to play, then we cannot play,” added the Uefa boss when probed about the possibility of the season being abandoned. The fact is that we really don’t know much. We are waiting for the development of this terrible situation in the world, and mainly in Europe.

“It is still better to play the game behind closed doors and have it on TV; which is what the people need and want because it brings positive energy to their homes than [having no football] playing at all. That’s what the people want… and it will be July or August.” The finals of the European club competitions including the Women’s Champions League have already been postponed.