Champions League set to be decided in World Cup style tournament with Lisbon likely hosts
Posted Thursday, June 04, 2020 by Express.co.uk
UEFA are set to vote on plan which would see the Champions League decided in a tournament similar to the World Cup.
The Champions League this season could be decided in a ‘Final 8’ World Cup style tournament in Lisbon. UEFA are due to meet on June 17 to decide how to finish the Champions League and Europa League tournaments this season, after the COVID-19 crisis brought football to a halt.
Both the Champions League and the Europa League are due to restart in the first week of August, after domestic league and cup competitions across the continent are completed.
Originally, the Champions League was due to end in a final in Istanbul, with the Europa League finishing in Gdansk.
But now Istanbul is set to withdraw for financial reasons - and the plan, which will be voted on on June 17, is for the Champions League to be completed in a behind closed doors mini-tournament.
Champions League restart: A World Cup style tournament could decide the winner (Image: GETTY)
It would start possibly with eight teams, so the quarter finals, semi-finals and final will all be played in Lisbon, with the final taking place on August 29.
There were four remaining round of 16 games to play before the outbreak of COVID-19, and it is yet to be decided how they will be resolved.
The two stadiums used for the tournament would be the Estadio da Luz where the Nations League final was played last year and where Benfica play - and Sporting Lisbon’s Jose Alvalade stadium.
Some clubs are though pushing for the final to be bought forward to August 22, to allow greater time for a pre-season break before the next campaign starts.
Munich and Madrid are also on the table as possible venues for the min-finals tournaments but it is understood that Lisbon is favourite at the moment.
The Europa League could be played at the same city according to one plan, but earlier than the Champions League.
When football was halted, the Europa League round of 16 had only just begun, with six of the eight first legs played.
Champions League restart: Manchester City are still in the running (Image: GETTY)
Manchester United, Basel and Bayer Leverkusen all looked likely to progress after claiming big wins away from home.
The remaining Women’s Champions League games would be staged in Vienna, with the Final taking place in either the last week of August or the first week of September.
The likes of Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich are all still in the Champions League.
Premier League hopes rest with Manchester City despite their ban from the competition next season.
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