Premier League season could continue into August as UEFA coronavirus proposal emerges

Posted Thursday, April 23, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Premier League season could continue into August as UEFA coronavirus proposal emerges
Premier League action could continue into August (Image: GETTY)

Premier League action could continue into August if a UEFA proposal to finishing domestic campaigns is given the go ahead.

Premier League fixtures could take place in August under a proposal from UEFA to complete domestic seasons. All professional football across Europe - except Belarus - has been suspended until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic. Play will not resume until it is deemed safe to do so.

UEFA bigwigs held a video conference call with the European Club Association (ECA) on Wednesday to discuss dates for when the season restarts.

A proposal has been put forward for all domestic leagues and cup competitions completed by July 31 if the pandemic eases.

An agreement has also been struck between UEFA and the ECA for weekends in August to act as an overspill to stage any domestic games that cannot take place by the end of the previous month.

UEFA will hold an executive committee meeting with their 55 association members on Thursday with the aim of agreeing a schedule for each nation.

Aleksander Ceferin, the President of UEFA, is eager for league season to finish so qualification for next term’s Champions League and Europa League is settled on the pitch.

A source told the Daily Star: "Work remains ongoing and is complicated, given that the situation is so fluid and that we have limited control over the virus which is impacting countries in different ways.

"No decisions have been made at this stage, but the main focus remains around the completion of the 2019-20 season, both at domestic and European level."

Meanwhile, EFL top brass are coming under pressure to introduce a wage cap to help clubs avoid going to the wall.

The economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has left some clubs struggling financially.

At least 70 per cent of clubs in League One and League Two have discussed the idea of a wage cap in the last week.

Forest Green chairman Dale Vince is in favour of implementing a salary cap.

He said: "I have seen the email traffic from clubs and club chairmen and I think it has got strong support and has got a good chance of going through.

"We can all see the problems every year, there are a couple of clubs that just about make it to the end of the season - or don't - and go into administration.

"A player wage cap would be a way to control that. The amount of money that gets spent by some clubs would then relieve the pressure on other clubs to match it - it becomes an arms race.

"You get the odd individual who just operates on the very edge of insolvency and legality. With a wage cap, people like that would be more constrained and less able to do real harm.

"It's something that can be agreed now. We've got this downtime to work on the details, and put it in place ready (for the new season)."