Since the Premier League matches were discontinued due to the unfortunate outbreak of the Coronavirus, the Premier league’s management has been breaking their heads on how to end the 2019/20 season.
At present, it is still very much unknown when the epidemic will end, when the citizens of the world will return to normal life and when it will indeed be possible to hold any live events.
It is assumed that life will return to normal only towards the end of May or early June. In the Premier League and elsewhere, there is still some mild hope, but as of now, there is a plan that is coming together to complete the remaining nine unplayed rounds.
According to a plan that was published in the media, the remaining round will take place without an audience for a short period during June to mid-July in a “FIFA World Cup” style of the playoff.
A Premier League Bubble
The players from each Premier League team will be concentrated in hotels and leave their hotels every 3 to 4 days to hold one of the postponed matchdays.
The postponement of the Euro 2020 tournament by UEFA has allowed leagues around the world, the Premier League included, to extend the sporting year and hold local league games during the month of June, a month usually used for the offseason, transfers and preparations for next season. In this situation, teams may run a tight schedule and hold 10 games a month.
A similar move is expected to occur in the lower leagues in England. At present, the intention is to hold all games without an audience and the players will stay in a hotel to prevent the possibility of being infected with the Coronavirus as much as possible.
The football grounds and other sports facilities where the players stay will undergo a thorough and extensive cleaning.
The Premier League intend to implement this move even if the COVID plague does not wane, with the aim of broadcasting the matches on TV and help to ease the number of residents and football fans who will remain in closure during this difficult times.
Doing so will help the league save the broadcast contracts signed with the media bodies which amount to huge sums.
Players may object to the planned move on the grounds that it would jeopardize their health, as athletes around the world have claimed in leagues where the games were terminated late.
On the other hand, the salaries they receive depend quite a bit on the number of games their teams will hold for which they receive grants from the television broadcasts.
The lengthening of the league can create contract issues and make teams extend players’ contracts beyond June 30, the English league do not expect problems after talks so far with FIFA. The plague will wane a bit and life will begin to return to normal, precautions will still be taken.
Currently, it is expected in the UK that fans will not be allowed to return to the stands until October 2020.
Even if the plague fades a bit and life begins to return to normal, precautions will still be taken to ensure the safety of the population.
Liverpool set to win the title
Either way, it seems that there are rumours that Liverpool might be crowned the champions either way as the gap is unlikely to be closed.
Although many teams are set to be affected by the situation as the Champions League, UEFA Europa League and relegation are still very much up for grabs, Manchester United, Manchester City, Leicester City, Chelsea and Tottenham are all still gunning for the top 4 positions.
And teams such as West Ham and Watford might avoid relegation.
