UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has set the end of June as the deadline for the resumption of the Scottish Premiership if the current league season is to have any chance of being concluded.
Ceferin said yesterday that the European game’s governing body are mulling over three dates for the resumption of leagues across the continent, which have been suspended to slow the spread of coronavirus.
If any nation has not resumed by the final date at the end of June, he believes it is unlikely that country will be able to finish the current campaign. With coronavirus not expected to peak in the United Kingdom until June, it leaves the SPFL in danger of missing Ceferin’s cut-off date to start playing matches once more, and therefore facing the prospect of being unable to play out the season.
As reported by Dale Johnson of ESPN, Ceferin said: "There is a plan A, B and C. We can start in May, in June or the end of June. If we can't do it on any of those then the season probably won't finish.
"There is the possibility to finish the season at the start of next season, with next season starting a little late. It would have to work with respect to the players and the signing periods.
“We will see what the best solutions for the different leagues and clubs are.”
Ceferin has ruled out the prospect of playing either the Champions League final or the Europa League final behind closed doors, but while he would prefer to avoid playing any matches without spectators present at all, he concedes that it may be a necessary step if he is to achieve his preferred outcome of finishing each current league season across Europe.
He explained though that there would be no blanket directive coming soon from UEFA to instruct each league what course of action they should take, as consultations with the 55 associations continue.
“It’s difficult to imagine all the games behind closed doors, but now we don’t even know if we will resume, with or without spectators,” he said.
“If there are no other alternatives, it would still be better to conclude the championships. I can say that I don’t think about the European finals behind closed doors.
"We are in contact with the leagues, the clubs, there’s a working group. We have to wait.”
Euro 2020 has already been postponed until next summer to allow clubs a potential window to conclude matches.
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