As many expected, football competitions all over Europa are slowly being postponed indefinitely.
La Liga Suspended Indefinitely
The situation in Spain is dramatic, with the country battling with one of the biggest tragedies in its history. The health system is under pressure, and in some parts of the country, especially in Madrid, the virus is doing a lot of damage.
Because of this, the Spanish La Liga decided to suspend its activities indefinitely today. This is the third week during which there is no football in Spain, and even though there were some deadlines on returning to the pitch, from today, the suspension of the championship is indefinite. This decision was made by both the Spanish football federation and La Liga.
At the moment, Spain has more than 33 thousand infected from COVID-19, with more than 2,200 victims of this disease. Real Madrid’s former president Lorenzo Sanz died yesterday. The 76-year old was one of the greatest persons in the history of Los Blancos.
It is why the Spanish authorities decided to impose lockdown measures, which will be present for at least until April 11th. With this state going on, even if the situation is not that dramatic, there won’t be a possibility of organizing matches.
Also, there is a factor of players’ health, as there are cases of COVID-19 among them as well. More than one-third of Valencia’s first-team players and staff members are infected with the virus, after meeting with Atalanta in the round of 16 of the Champions League. Espanyol, too, has 6 confirmed cases. Real Madrid’s entire team is in self-isolation after hearing the news that one of the members of their basketball section, with whom they share the gym, was tested positive.
UEFA Postpones Champions and Europa League Finals
The European house of football, decided today to postpone all the finals of its competitions. Champions League, Europa League as well as the ladies Champions League final games have been delayed, and without a precise timeframe of their happening.
The biggest enigma is the Champions League. The round of 16 is still underway, with four teams advancing to the quarterfinals, and with four second legs left to be finished.
As you all know, the reigning European Champions Liverpool was eliminated by Atletico Madrid, which means that if the campaign continues, the continent would have the new ruler. Besides the Madridians, other teams who advanced among the last eight were PSG, Atalanta and Red Bull Leipzig,
The final was set to take place in Istanbul, at the Ataturk Stadium on May 30th.
Europa League’s situation is similar, with the round of 16 interrupted after the first fixtures. The finals of this competition were located in the Polish city Gdansk.
Earlier this month, the UEFA decided to move the EURO 2020 for one year, admitting that it would be impossible to organize such a massive event in current times without jeopardizing the health of the participants and fans. The same move was seen in South America, where Copa America 2020 was also pushed one year later.
