UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has backed football to resume soon, even without the fans in the stands.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has forced leagues across the world to be suspended.
The virus first hit the Premier League when Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta was diagnosed with the infection and the league has been suspended since then.
The economic realities of the pandemic are starting to hit home with clubs now looking for ways to save cost as they aren’t making any more money.
Reports have claimed that this season may have to be scrapped if football doesn’t return soon as clubs could no longer have the funds to sustain their operations at the resumption of the campaign.
This is one reason some teams have asked for the season to be abandoned.
However, UEFA has discouraged such measures and their president has now delivered an important update.
Ceferin said as quoted by Marca:
“The priority remains the health of fans, players and everyone else,
“But there are ways to play again and my optimistic nature tells me that seasons will be finished.
“Yes, it’ll be without fans. But I think it’s good that football can give fans some happiness with a sense of normality.
“We’re ready for football without fans.”
On the possibility of this season not finishing, he said:
“Of course there’s the possibility of not finishing the season,
“But it’d be terrible for clubs and the leagues.
“That’s why we postponed the European Championship until 2021.
“I think both leagues and European competitions will be played.
“There’s no deadline for the Champions League final – it depends on when the leagues start again.
“I’m hoping it will return in September.”
On the return of fans to the stands, he said:
“It’ll be without fans,
“It’s true that football is made to be with fans, but at least we can take it into people’s homes.
“Special measures will be in place for a while, but full stadiums will return.”
On a personal level, I do not care if football returns behind closed doors as long as it does return and soon.
I am prepared to have a very substantial bet that this season will not start again and be completed before June 30th when contracts expire for so many. That is very obviously impossible , despite the oft expressed desire of many to soon begin again. Some think in May, some in June but I say not at all. Desire is one thing and laudable but practical impossibility is another and is the reason it won’t happen.
I could very easily go into a very detailed and long list of reasons on why it cannot possibly start again but space does not pemit, But anyone EXPECTING it to start,rather than a vain HOPE, which is understandable and which I share, is just not thinking fully. Just think of the logistics and a minutes proper thought will show how absurd the thought actually is. The season is already over but many just won’t face that truth.
So now its the season not ending before the end of june well at least your back tracking on the football not starting this year at all claim. You dont provide a detailed list because it would be easily picked apart nothing to do with space.
Angus
There are so many unknowns.
I understand Jon’s viewpoint as the virus is still very active and as time goes on the question of contracts, fitting in European competitions as well as the FA cup will make it difficult to restart. I heard as well that many football players are concerned about getting or transmitting the virus as well as not being adequately up to speed fitness wise. Some are experiencing mental health issues too.
I don’t know if it will start in June but it will take a lot of different facets to come together for it to happen then.
Well, I believe the season will not be canceled, except the virus persists till the end of the year, which is impossible to me. Cause the people who brought the virus to the world has a fixed date when it will be taken off, sometime in this year. So whenever the virus is gone, the remaining games will be played immediately, maybe without the fans.
The Uefa president knows what he is saying and I believe they are deliberating on it by now before a final judgement is passed.
My prediction is by Mid July football will resume without fans. Players whose contracts are expired by June will be given extra time till the season is concluded.
Hang on a second SJ
Are you suggesting a conspiracy theory here?
Well Suep, with my observations from several previous happenings around the world I strongly believe that this virus has been created from somewhere by some group of people secretly with a great purpose in their mind.
The real powers that be are underground and unknown, controlling this world the way they want it to be and the world leaders, politicians, billionaires of this world are just their puppets. The powers that be do not care about how we live or die, infact they want most of us dead in order to depopulate the earth so they can control the little population that is left very well, almost every world happenings is being scripted. We are in a Matrix, a system in which we all live like robots to the main powers that be.
It’s so unfortunate, we need to wake up.
SJ
You are entitled to your views and I hope you don’t worry to much about it all too much
I totally disagree with you but that is my prerogative and yours to believe in if you so wish
Yes SueP, we are all entitled to our beliefs and what we believe shall guide us…
Of course I don’t worry myself about it too much cause I have some things that take my mind off from the troubles of this earth, like Arsenal my beloved club, music and other things.
I am just trying the best I can to be financially free and live a comfortable life with my family.
Just reading in the news that Ozil who is the highest paid player at our club is opposing the 1 year pay cut. He just wants to send his self to damnation by some fraction of the fans. Lol
Reading through the news I just cringed when I came upon the Ozil story. You just know it won’t be pretty. Highest paid, longest servant in squad, minuscule returns on pitch, appaling body language and now he literally wants to bleed to club dry. We all suspected it was about money all along, he just confirmed it for us. So tired of this useless leech, needs to get ridden of asap or left in the u23’s to gorge on his millions and rot away