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The Nairobian

Premier League clubs committed to finishing season

Football

By Agencies | Apr 18, 2020

Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - March 8, 2020 Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi in action with Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes [Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine]

Premier League clubs remain committed to finishing the top-flight season, but did not set a June 30 deadline to complete the fixture list at their latest meeting yesterday.

With the Premier League postponed since March 13 due to the coronavirus, it had been suggested a firm closing date for the season needed to be imposed.

But the 20 clubs did not discuss wrapping up the remaining 92 Premier League fixtures by June 30 when they met on a conference call with league chiefs.

With fears that failure to finish the season could cost the Premier League more than £1 billion, clubs looked at various models for a potential return to action.

However, Britain is on lock down until May 7 at the earliest to limit the spread of the pandemic, leaving English football to play a waiting game in the hope of an improvement in the health crisis.

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A Premier League spokesman said a number of complex scenarios were being worked through.

"We are actively engaging with stakeholders, including broadcast partners, and our aim is to ensure we are in a position to resume playing when it is safe to do so and with the full support of the government," added the spokesman.

"The health and wellbeing of players, coaches, managers, club staff and supporters are our priority and the league will only restart when medical guidance allows.

"Today's shareholders' meeting provided an opportunity to discuss possible scheduling models. It remains our objective to complete the 2019/20 season but at this stage all dates are tentative while the impact of Covid-19 develops."

Meanwhile, if the LaLiga season is cut short or abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic, the four teams on top of the most recent completed round of standings will qualify for next season's Champions League, the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) said.

With all teams having played 27 matches before the RFEF suspended play on March 12 due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Real Sociedad are the four teams that will go through to Europe's premier club competition if no more action is possible this season.

"The RFEF wants to have done its homework in case, in the event of a suspension of competitions, it receives the request from Uefa regarding the Spanish clubs that would have access to European competitions next season," RFEF general secretary Andreu Camps said in a statement on Thursday.

"Thus... it has been agreed in the RFEF Delegate Commission to make a plan in order to give certainty in an extreme scenario, such as not being able to finish the competitions, so that all the clubs know the new scenario they are facing."

After the last round of games were completed on March 10, Barcelona topped La Liga with 58 points, two ahead of Real Madrid. Sevilla are third on 47, with Real Sociedad a point further back in fourth.