LONDON, United Kingdom, Mar 30 – Liverpool should be awarded the Premier League title if the season cannot be completed due to the coronavirus pandemic, says Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Jurgen Klopp’s men were a tantalising two wins away from their first league crown since 1990 when the season was suspended earlier this month.
The shutdown is currently due to last until April 30. Premier League chiefs are due to meet on Friday, with no indications of when football will resume.
Gundogan, whose side trail Liverpool by 25 points, told German broadcaster ZDF that if the season could not be finished, Klopp’s side deserved the title.
“It would be OK for me,” he said. “As a sportsman you have to be fair.”
The 29-year-old German international, who has won the Premier League title with City for the past two seasons, said it was unlikely that he and his teammates could resume training at the end of April.
“Honestly, I can’t imagine (that happening) and also, I don’t know how realistic it is,” he said.
Figures on Sunday revealed that 1,228 people with coronavirus have died in Britain. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is among more than 19,500 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Aleksander Ceferin, president of European football’s governing body UEFA, said on Saturday that the 2019/20 campaign could be “lost” if it could not be restarted by the end of June.
Gundogan conceded that Premier League chiefs were faced with a difficult choice.
“There are different opinions,” he said. “For clubs who have had a very good season, it obviously wouldn’t be nice if it was cancelled now.
“On the other hand, for clubs who aren’t doing as well and are maybe in the relegation places, an abandonment would obviously suit them.”
Cancellation would have a knock-on effect on the second-tier English Championship, with both Leeds United and West Brom occupying the two automatic promotion places.
Gundogan said he would be willing to take a pay cut if English clubs followed the examples of Serie A leaders Juventus and his former club Borussia Dortmund.
“Of course I think it’s OK, that goes without saying — (but) there’s been no discussion in England yet,” he said.
(Visited 10 times, 1 visits today)
%author%
- %authornetworks%
- %authornetworks%
Comments
Keep fit-AWCON chasing Ouma to Starlets
rn
rn 
rn 
rn 
rn 
rn More Headlines
rn
rn rn rn UEFA to debate options for ravaged football calendarrn
rn
rn rn rn Messi confirms pay cut for Barca players, criticises boardrn
rn
rn rn rn Stakeholders want urgent resolve to FKF election impassern
rn
rn rn rn Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdownrn
rn
rn rn rn Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be championsrn
rn
rn rn rn Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroudrn
rnMost Popular
rn ntttAll Sports
rn
rn UEFA to debate options for ravaged football calendar
rn
rn Messi confirms pay cut for Barca players, criticises board
rn
rn Stakeholders want urgent resolve to FKF election impasse
rn
rn Rashford helps feed children during virus shutdown
rn
rn Gundogan says Liverpool deserve to be champions
rnPoll Question
rnWILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?
- ntt
- NO ntt
- YES ntt
Loading ...
rn Villa’s Grealish apologises, fined for breaking isolation rules
rn
rn Benzema deepens France rift by ridiculing ‘go-kart’ Giroud
rn
rn Juventus shares surge after players’ take pay cut
rn
rn Mercedes, F1 make breathing aids to help coronavirus fight
rn
rn Paulinho among footballers stranded by China’s lock-out
rnSponsored
rnFeatured
rn
rn 
rn rn rn rn Most Popular
rn ntttFeatured
rnrn rn rn rn rn Oops...Something broke on our end
