UEFA has taken the decision to suspend the Champions League, Europa League and Euro 2020 qualifying playoffs indefinitely as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
However, following a video conference today and with the coronavirus outbreak only worsening, that has become unrealistic.
The Euro 2020 qualifying playoffs and international friendlies planned for June have now been postponed, freeing up additional space for domestic and European football to resume if possible — most likely behind closed doors.
FIFA is already putting plans in place for player contracts to be extended until the last day of the season, whenever that may be.
UEFA has also postponed until further notice deadlines in relation to the admission process for all 2020-21 club competitions.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned at the weekend there is a chance that this season could be “lost” if competitive action does not resume by the end of June, amid the coronavirus crisis that has led to every nation in Europe, with the exception of Belarus, closing down their football leagues.
European football’s governing body previously postponed this summer’s European Championship for 12 months during a video conference on March 17 and later indefinitely postponed the Champions League and Europa League finals which were due to take place in Istanbul and Gdansk respectively.
Both the Champions League and Europa League are suspended at the round of 16 stage with Atletico Madrid, Paris-Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig and Atalanta the four sides to have qualified for the quarterfinals.
Four round-of-16 second-leg ties have yet to be played: Manchester City vs. Real Madrid, Juventus vs. Lyon, Barcelona vs. Napoli and Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea.