With the coronavirus outbreak suspending the Premier League until April, what are the options for the remainder of 2019-20 season?
Plenty of reports and rumors are circulating about whether or not the league will begin again from April 4, if it will be canceled and if Liverpool will be awarded the title.
There is a Premier League emergency meeting this Thursday where all 20 clubs will meet to discuss what to do next.
Here’s a little about what we know:
- There are no regulations in place in the Premier League handbook to decide what happens in this situation. Check for yourself, here.
- Options will be provided to PL clubs and they will vote on them. At least 14 out of 20 clubs need to agree on one option for it to be voted in.
But what options are likely to be available for PL clubs to choose from?
- One option is to award the title to Liverpool and have no relegation with West Brom and Leeds United, currently in the top two of the Championship, to be promoted and there will be 22 teams in the Premier League next season.
- The 2019-20 season could be declared null and void and the 2020-21 season could start with the exact same teams. West Ham want this to happen and teams at the bottom of the table are probably keen for this to happen too, but it would mean Liverpool do not win the league title after a 30-year wait.
- An unlikely situation is that the table right now is the final table but with Aston Villa, Sheffield United, Man City and Arsenal all playing one game less than everybody else that would surely be unfair.
More coronavirus connections to soccer:
- The Premier League has postponed play through at least April 3. Aston Villa’s chief executive called it “a very good decision” while Jurgen Klopp said we must “protect each other.”
- CONCACAF has suspended play for a month, while UEFA postponed all fixtures next week ahead of a meeting to discuss plans for both club and international European competitions.
- Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi is the first Premier League player to test positive for coronavirus.
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested posted for coronavirus and the players and staff at the club are self-isolating.
- MLS announced its 2020 season is suspended for at least 30 days.
- Three Leicester City players are in self-isolation after displaying symptoms of coronavirus.
- Real Madrid players in isolation and La Liga games suspended for the next two weeks after Real basketball player tests positive for coronavirus.
- Serie A is considering alternative ways to conclude its scudetto and relegation races, including playoffs or the non-awarding of a champion.
- Juventus confirm that their defender Daniele Rugani has tested positive for coronavirus.
- Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis being diagnosed with coronavirus. Olympiacos and Forest have since confirmed all of their staff and players have been tested and their tests have come back as negative
