Europe mulls finishing football season at end of year

Europe's football bosses have t given up hope of finishing this pandemic-hit season -- even if it might have to be done at start of next one. vel coronavirus has created an existential challenge to world's most widely played and watched sport. Europe's football leagues are planet's richest and can afford to pay most money to biggest stars.

But that system could come crumbling down quickly if re is thing to show on TV. Cristian Ronaldo has t had a chance to celebrate goals for Juventus for nearly three weeks because Italy's Serie A had to shut down. He and or Italian league stars are thinking of giving up millions of euros in salary to help ir teams stay solvent.

UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin told Italy's La Repubblica daily that he was holding urgent talks with continent's biggest leagues to figure out what can be done. Slovenian said all options were under consideration in an effort to salv season and preserve sanctity of beautiful game. "We could start again in mid-May, in June or even late June," Ceferin said.

Any time after that and " season will probably be lost." idea of entire season simply being cancelled stirs panic in fans of clubs such as Liverpool -- on cusp of lifting ir first title in 30 years. Ronaldo's Juventus would probably t be terribly happy eir. men in famous black-and-white stripes are edging Lazio by a point in ir race for a ninth successive title and are still in Champions League, which y have t won since 1996. Ceferin said he opposed idea of playing games in empty stadiums and would prefer to wait out pandemic.

He also hinted that some big teams appeared ready to delay start of next season in ordered to finish out this one. "re is also a proposal to end this season at beginning of next one and n start next one a little later," Ceferin said. Serie A and most or European leagues were originally supposed to have finished in May.

Belarus remain only European nation still playing football in face of a pandemic that by Saturday had officially claimed nearly 30,000 lives. Italy's world-leading death toll from Friday was 9,134.

'Think positively'

But scheduling is growing tricky and time appears to be running out. Most European leagues are supposed to start ir 2019-20 seasons at end of August. Italy still has more than two regular months of matches of 2018-19 season to play out.

A resumption of current season at end of June would probably require a delay to start of next one until at least September or October. It would also mean that players get very little rest and would also create problems for those whose contracts are expiring in June. Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina sounded fine with that.

"We would all be happy to finish season on pitch," said Gravina told Sky television.

"We are in contact with FIFA for contract extensions if we need to go beyond June 30." 

Gravina did t explain why he was talking to world football governing body and t European one headed by Ceferin. But he did conceded that his earlier hope of restarting Italian matches in early May was w almost certainly dashed. "I am aware that it is still too early," said Gravina. "But we must think positively."

Im credits: AP