BBC: UEFA wants to finish Champions League by August 29

The Powers that Be in European football are still working on plans to finish the 2019-20 season... somehow... this summer, and while there is still no clarity or firm plans announced, there does appear to be a general direction. The BBC is reporting today that UEFA’s current plan is to try and finish the current season’s action by the end of August, with the Champions League final to be played on August 29, presumably still in Istanbul.

UEFA is set to meet on April 23 to discuss various plans and see if any decisions can be made, but everyone is desperate to finish without canceling the season. UEFA is apparently considering two separate plans — the first is to play the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals as two-legged ties at the conclusion of the domestic seasons as normal, and the other is to bring the remaining clubs together and play a miniature tournament with one-off matches within the span of a week, presumably in neutral locations.

There was no mention as to whether the matches would be played in front of full crowds or in empty stadiums, with that decision probably not made until much, much closer to the actual events.

These are difficult circumstances to navigate, and the desperation to finish has no doubt everything to do with the scads of money that is involved with televising the Champions League, the same as it is with the Premier League and the other major European football leagues. There at least is a recognition that circumstances may force UEFA to make adjustments not only with when the Champions League will be played, but also HOW it could be played.

Tottenham Hotspur may no longer be in the Champions League, but this is worth following how UEFA intends to handle it, because it’s quite likely that as goes UEFA so goes the Premier League.