LONDON, United Kingdom, Mar 16 – Drastic measures to help curb the spread of the coronavirus have plunged football into crisis, with leagues across Europe suspended and uncertainty over when play will resume.
A UEFA meeting on Tuesday bringing together Europe’s 55 member associations is widely expected to delay Euro 2020, which was due to start in June.
That could free up some space in the calendar for national leagues and European club competitions to be completed in the summer months.
The approach favoured by officials, players and pundits is to finish the league seasons whenever it is safe to do so.
“For the European leagues it is most essential that domestic competitions can be completed this season, to limit the negative impact for the entire football ecosystem,” said the European Leagues, which represents more than 950 clubs from 29 countries.
La Liga president Javier Tebas said on Sunday he was “convinced” the Spanish domestic league season would be played to a finish despite a state of emergency in the country.
However, there are extra complications with extending the season beyond its traditional end point in May for every layer of the football pyramid.
– Out of contract? –
Player contracts and loan deals are a major stumbling block should the season be postponed into July or beyond as many expire in May and June.
Among the big names in the Premier League whose deals expire at the end of June are Chelsea trio Olivier Giroud, Willian and Pedro Rodriguez and Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham.
However, it is further down the leagues where the impact could be more drastic.
Football League clubs, many of whom will struggle to survive a couple of months without gate receipts, have far greater numbers of players out of contract.
In extreme cases, some would even struggle to field a team with players still under contract come July.
Short-term extensions have been proposed should this scenario come to pass but clubs may not even get to June with enough money to pay players and staff.
“The main issue for those clubs is cash flow,” said football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
“Many clubs are surviving on a match-to-match basis and are reliant on the loyal few thousand turning up.
“Even if matches are postponed we have a three-week gap for certain so how will clubs pay wages and their suppliers?”
Even before the virus caused chaos across the globe, the finances of many Football League clubs were perilous.
Bury went bust in August after 125 years in the Football League and only a last-minute takeover prevented Bolton from going the same way.
“We could definitely see casualties here,” said former banker Fausto Zanetton, who runs a crowdfunding platform for clubs to acquire investment with former Italy international and Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli.
Stevenage are one of the clubs to have entered into an agreement with Zanetton and Vialli’s Tifosy platform.
The League Two side, rooted to the foot of the table, face relegation even if the season recommences, and chairman Phil Wallace admitted on Monday they could be forced to the brink by an extended lay-off.
“We have no idea how the club can survive whilst paying players and staff with no income,” said Wallace.
(Visited 4 times, 4 visits today)
%thecontent%%avatar%%author%
- %authornetworks%
- %authornetworks%
Comments
%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"%title%
%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"%title%
%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"Amina directs self-quarantine for sportsmen
rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn More Headlines
rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Coronavirus spells uncertainty for clubs and footballersrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Juve defender Rugani ‘doing well’ after coronavirus diagnosisrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Liverpool left to wait and wonder after virus strikesrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 5 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn After fleeing abroad, Chinese teams rush home to avoid virusrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 7 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Deprived of football, players try to fill the ‘big void’rn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 7 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn How EPL stars keep busy during the coronavirus shutdownrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rnMost Popular
rn ntttnttttntttttnttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rnAll Sports
rn trn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn Coronavirus spells uncertainty for clubs and footballers
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Juve defender Rugani ‘doing well’ after coronavirus diagnosis
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Olympic boxing qualifier suspended over virus fears
rn rn rn Boxingrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Fate of Euro 2020 to be determined as UEFA set for crisis meeting
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Liverpool left to wait and wonder after virus strikes
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rnPoll Question
rn rn ntnttnttnttWILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?
- ntt
- NO ntt
- YES ntt
Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn After fleeing abroad, Chinese teams rush home to avoid virus
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn IOC set for crisis talks as fears grow for Tokyo Olympics
rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Deprived of football, players try to fill the ‘big void’
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn How EPL stars keep busy during the coronavirus shutdown
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rnrn rn rn rn IOC to hold coronavirus crisis talks with sports bodies
rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Sunday, 15th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnSponsored
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnFeatured
rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Coronavirus spells uncertainty for clubs and footballersrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn 
rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Amina directs self-quarantine for sportsmenrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Gloomy outlook for sport amid lockdownrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Juve defender Rugani ‘doing well’ after coronavirus diagnosisrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Olympic boxing qualifier suspended over virus fearsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn tMost Popular
rn ntttnttttntttttnttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn tFeatured
rn rn trn rnrn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Coronavirus spells uncertainty for clubs and footballersrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Amina directs self-quarantine for sportsmenrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Gloomy outlook for sport amid lockdownrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Juve defender Rugani ‘doing well’ after coronavirus diagnosisrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Olympic boxing qualifier suspended over virus fearsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Monday, 16th Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"Oops...Something broke on our end
"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */
