Premier League clubs have major coronavirus fear for 2020/21 season after crunch meeting

Posted Friday, March 20, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Premier League clubs held a meeting on Thursday to discuss a path forward amid the coronavirus outbreak - but some of the teams fear next season could also be affected.

Premier League clubs have major coronavirus fear for 2020/21 season after crunch meeting
Premier League clubs are concerned next term could begin behind closed doors (Image: GETTY)

Premier League clubs fear the opening rounds of the 2020/21 campaign will be affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The 20 teams that make up the top flight have promised to finish the current season no matter how long it takes to complete the remaining fixtures.

A meeting between Premier League club bigwigs took place via Skype on Thursday where it was determined that the 2019/20 campaign would be played out as opposed to a messy compromise or declaring it null and void.

A statement released by the Football Association following the conference call determined that the regulation to finish the season by June 1 would be “extended indefinitely”.

The Premier League and EFL can therefore finish their fixture lists whenever they can.

April 30 has been earmarked as the date for professional football in the United Kingdom to resume but that still seems ambitious because it is feared the coronavirus outbreak will not have reached its peak by then.

Premier League clubs have major coronavirus fear for 2020/21 season after crunch meeting
Premier League club chiefs want to resume on April 30 (Image: GETTY)

According to the Daily Mirror, there is a belief games could start again on the weekend of May 2 and 3, however. They are likely to take place behind closed doors.

By extending the suspension until April 30, clubs will be encouraged to give players a rest and keep them away from training grounds where they could potentially pick up the COVID-19 virus.

A bonus of this break in play means that when the season does end there can be a shorter turnaround ahead of the next campaign.

A finale date of July 12 - originally when the Euro 2020 final was due to be played - has been discussed as a potential key point in the calendar when this term could finish.

UEFA postponed Euro 2020 by a year earlier this week and advised leagues across the continent to finish their seasons by the end of June but that would seem unlikely for English football.

By deciding to see out the rest of 2019/20 campaign, the Premier League and EFL could complete their schedules by July which could pave the way for the subsequent season to kick off in August.

But the Daily Mirror claim there is a fear among some of the top-flight clubs that next season could start in empty stadiums until the coronavirus crisis is over.