UEFA plan major changes to 2020-21 Champions & Europa Leagues, Celtic may be one match from group phase

UEFA plan major changes to 2020-21 Champions & Europa Leagues

While the Premier League clubs will all sit on a conference call on Monday to discuss Project Restart, another important call will be held by UEFA regarding the 2020-21 Champions League and Europa League scheduling.

Nobody knows how Europe will be coping with the Covid-19 pandemic in August and September, but UEFA are planning for a disrupted season.

That’s clearly the wise thing to do. Already, countries including France and Holland have banned all public gatherings until Septmeber.

Moreover, it’s still unclear how leagues across Europe will complete the 2019-20 season.

While many leagues are gearing up to restart – the Bundesliga is set to resume on Saturday – it’s unclear what will happen if any player tests positive for Covid-19 once the action returns.

Will so many unknowns flying around, UEFA are planning for some major changes to their European competitions next season.

Times sport: Brighton test adds to fears over restart #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/k06y1tZBdx

— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) May 10, 2020

 

Qualification for Champions League to change

As detailed by Martyn Ziegler in the Times, UEFA are planning to change their qualification rounds to the 2020-21 Champions League.

Considering the likely time limitations, UEFA plan to cut down the qualifiers significantly.

The Times note that the following motions are on the table:

– Playing one-legged qualification rounds instead of two legs

– Alternatively, playing a one play-off round for the Champions League involving the national champions of 12 highest-ranked countries who do not have a club already in the group stage

– Staging matches on neutral venues

 

Celtic may be one match from group phase

If UEFA adopt the second proposal, a one play-off round, then Celtic could face a do-or-die match to determine whether they qualify for the 2020-21 Champions League.

In previous seasons, Celtic have faced up to six qualifying matches to book a slot in the Champions League group phase.

This season, as reported by Forbes, the 32 clubs who qualified for the group stage of the Champions League received a group stage allocation of $17m, plus an additional $3m per win and $990,000 per draw.

For the record, Celtic are yet to be crowned Scottish champions as it remains unclear whether the 2019-20 SPFL will finish.

However, Celtic are 12 points clear of Rangers at the top of the table.

 

What changes are set for the Europa League?

The qualification rules for the 2020-21 Europa League are also poised to change.

However, due to the inflated size of UEFA’s secondary competition, the specifics of how UEFA plan to change the qualifiers are far cloudier. The Times report:

The issue is much more complicated for the Europa League, where only 17 of the 48 clubs in the group stage qualify directly from domestic competitions. Among English clubs that includes the FA Cup winner and the team finishing fifth in the Premier League.

 

Also see: Man United, Man City & Wolves to benefit from UK travel quarantine exception as one UK MP mocks Kyle Walker.

UK government to allow Premier League restart on June 12 but so many questions still need answers.

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