Next Season’s CL and EL...

[Rozay]

Apologies if this has already come up in one of the number of mega threads, but surely those tournaments will be at risk?

There are a number of conversations of when this season can end, which will of course dictate when next season can begin - but not every country will be in the same place on this. If England find a way to get the league wrapped up and have the next season started by August for example, what happens to European football if other countries cannot follow the same timeline? Spain and Italy seem a way away, and some other countries may be yet to even encounter the worst. All leagues need to move at the same time to have a European calendar.

 

[adexkola]

Apologies if this has already come up in one of the number of mega threads, but surely those tournaments will be at risk?

There are a number of conversations of when this season can end, which will of course dictate when next season can begin - but not every country will be in the same place on this. If England find a way to get the league wrapped up and have the next season started by August for example, what happens to European football if other countries cannot follow the same timeline? Spain and Italy seem a way away, and some other countries may be yet to even encounter the worst. All leagues need to move at the same time to have a European calendar.

The other countries would have to come up with a way of determining who gets the slots for CL and EL, if those competitions are scheduled to go before league positions are finalized. Maybe drawing of lots?

 

[Rozay]

The other countries would have to come up with a way of determining who gets the slots for CL and EL, if those competitions are scheduled to go before league positions are finalized. Maybe drawing of lots?

But it’s not as simple as determining who qualifies. What if the country as a whole is not in a position to resume football?

Ultimately, if England agree somehow to finish games in May and June, and restart by August - then a few weeks into the season, teams will expect to begin their European campaign. They will need other teams to play against, and not every country may be able to offer that. What if La Liga hasn’t returned by that time? But the English new season has begun. There can be no Euro football ‘next season’ unless all countries are having their respective ‘next seasons’ at the same time.

 

[P-Nut]

It's at risk anyway forgetting the August start date. The first round of qualifiers starts much earlier than that and definitely won't be able to take place by then with players needing a break after the actual season finishes.

 

[Rozay]

It's at risk anyway forgetting the August start date. The first round of qualifiers starts much earlier than that and definitely won't be able to take place by then with players needing a break after the actual season finishes.

Yes, this too. I haven’t seen much conversation about it at all, but it must be a real concern surely? We’re so concerned with getting our league finished so we can keep our calendar on track, but CL and EL requires everyone achieving that together, which looks a bigger risk.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Shorter qualifying and and incredible bracket style knock out tournament like the NCAA.

 

[P-Nut]

Yes, this too. I haven’t seen much conversation about it at all, but it must be a real concern surely? We’re so concerned with getting our league finished so we can keep our calendar on track, but CL and EL requires everyone achieving that together, which looks a bigger risk.

The format will change to fit it in. Probably straight knockout. 7 games then from start of normal group stage to champions for 1 game more than you'd usually play just in the groups

 

[Rozay]

Shorter qualifying and and incredible bracket style knock out tournament like the NCAA.

I’m just less convinced that all leagues will be in their new season by autumn, so not sure how many teams will be available to start next season’s tournament, unless it starts in the New Year or something.

 

[POF]

I think they should finish this season and play a shortened "domestic only" season next season.

Unless a cure/vaccine is widely available in the next few months, travel across Europe just isn't feasible.

 

[bosnian_red]

I think they should finish this season and play a shortened "domestic only" season next season.

Unless a cure/vaccine is widely available in the next few months, travel across Europe just isn't feasible.

Yeah agreed. Think a domestic only season will seem like the likeliest option. Traveling all around will be a risk for a while, even if individual countries start improving before next season and become safe enough to restart football. Especially with the way this season will/won't be finished around Europe, it'll be a shit show to decide who gets in and who is truly deserving of it.
But then there's the whole financial side of it for UEFA that I don't see a chance of them cancelling it. Unless it's to make Euro's work properly.

 

[Rozay]

I think they should finish this season and play a shortened "domestic only" season next season.

Unless a cure/vaccine is widely available in the next few months, travel across Europe just isn't feasible.

I honestly think a domestic only season is worth considering too. It also allows different federations to structure their calendars accordingly so they can sort out their own restarts when it suits their respective countries.

 

[Rozay]

Yeah agreed. Think a domestic only season will seem like the likeliest option. Traveling all around will be a risk for a while, even if individual countries start improving before next season and become safe enough to restart football. Especially with the way this season will/won't be finished around Europe, it'll be a shit show to decide who gets in and who is truly deserving of it.
But then there's the whole financial side of it for UEFA that I don't see a chance of them cancelling it. Unless it's to make Euro's work properly.

I think the bigger issue than ‘who qualifies’ is ‘when can it begin?’ What happens if football doesn’t resume in Spain until November? The CL starts in September without Spanish teams? This thing isn’t linear and countries are affected differently. Removing the pressure of European football means that different countries can begin football when they are ready to.

 

[AlwaysRed66]

The problem isn't so much in getting back the countries to some sort of normality by that time, but to ensure the virus doesn't keep popping back, which it will do without a vaccine & as soon as borders are opened up freely again. Unless the whole world can get rid of it.

 

[AaronRedDevil]

Is there a possibility to cancel the CL EL tournament? Seems like suicide doing it. Leagues is already hard enough. Plus no planes in the air at all unless its crucial.

 

[Offside]

I think life will get back to normal in each country first before international travel becomes normal again so yeah these tournaments are in doubt more than the domestic ones. They could do a World Cup style tournament as a one off. Just do the whole thing in 4 weeks or something in one location.

 

[LInkash]

I think life will get back to normal in each country first before international travel becomes normal again so yeah these tournaments are in doubt more than the domestic ones. They could do a World Cup style tournament as a one off. Just do the whole thing in 4 weeks or something in one location.

Yeah, they can't do away with it entirely. The knock on effect of that financially would be crazy.

 

[Rozay]

Yeah, they can't do away with it entirely. The knock on effect of that financially would be crazy.

I don’t think that decision is in their hands entirely tbh. If a couple of leagues are fully underway and other countries are not, it may just not be feasible at all.

 

[Offside]

I'm sure they can find a way to do it even if it fecks the format around for a couple of years.

 

[Brightonian]

A domestic only season does seem increasingly likely for a number of reasons. Or at the very least, a much-shortened European format which would only kick off in, let's say, January.

 

[LInkash]

I don’t think that decision is in their hands entirely tbh. If a couple of leagues are fully underway and other countries are not, it may just not be feasible at all.

Yeah, which is why I think a world cup style tournament as suggested by Offside would at the very least need to be done to make up for it.

 

[Rozay]

A domestic only season does seem increasingly likely for a number of reasons. Or at the very least, a much-shortened European format which would only kick off in, let's say, January.

Seems the only way to me. There is no way UEFA can conclude any dates where all federations will have begun their new seasons this year frankly, and that’s before even considering the logistics in terms of travel etc.

 

[Offside]

They ought to finish this season having the 1/4 final, 1/2 final and final all one-leg at the stadium where the final is held (CL in Istanbul, EL in Gdansk) so that's only 3 games, can be done in a week. Then have next season the same but only one-leg group games and one-leg knockout, so only 7 games for the winning team (CL games in Russia, EL games in Spain). Can be done in a month. Season after start again as normal. Mini-tournaments in the style of a World Cup would be an incredible spectacle.

I'm sure there's many flaws in what I've just proposed but I'm pretty sure UEFA are heavily considering the first option I mentioned regarding how to finish this season's European competitions from what I've read.