UEFA Postpone Champions League & Europa League Finals Over Coronavirus Crisis
UEFA has announced its decision to postpone both the men and women's Champions League finals, as well as the Europa League showpiece, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in football being halted around the world, with nations entering lockdown states.
Major leagues are still plotting their return dates, though it remains to be seen how long the crisis will last. UEFA has now officially confirmed May's finals will take place at later dates.
As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, UEFA has today formally postponed the following finals, originally scheduled for May 2020.@UWCL@EuropaLeague@ChampionsLeague
— UEFA (@UEFA) March 23, 2020
No decision has yet been made on rearranged dates. Further announcements will be made in due course.
The governing body revealed in a statement on their website: "UEFA has formally taken the decision to postpone the club finals originally scheduled for May 2020.
"No decision has yet been made on rearranged dates. The working group, established last week as a result of the conference call among the stakeholders of European football, which was chaired by UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin, will analyse the options available.
"The group has already begun its examination of the calendar. Announcements will be made in due course."
While Atalanta, RB Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid all progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals as their games were played before football entered its hiatus, the winners of the ties between Manchester City and Real Madrid, Juventus and Lyon, Barcelona and Napoli, and Bayern Munich and Chelsea are still to be determined.
The first legs of the Women's Champions League were due to be played this week, with Lyon among the favourites to win the competition.
The round of 16 in the Europa League is also yet to be concluded, with teams like Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen in strong positions, though the first legs between Inter and Getafe, and Sevilla and Roma were not played.
Premier League games could be played behind closed doors to ensure the season can end, while the Spanish Football Federation and La Liga both confirmed on Monday that all football in the country will be postponed indefinitely until it is safe to return.
An IOC member has also revealed tha the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed due to the pandemic.