UEFA considering ‘final-four’ style tournament to decide Champions League

UEFA is considering a Final Four-style tournament in Istanbul and Gdansk to decide the Champions League and Europa League.

All European club competition has been suspended this week along with the draw for the quarter-finals.

UEFA has called video-conference meeting for Tuesday to discuss European football's response to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

European football's governing body will propose an American-style finale to both competitions where the top four will contest the trophies in the same cities.

The Daily Mirror identified that UEFA could move to one-off ties last week.

Now it appears the four teams will contest the one-off semi-finals in either Turkey or Poland with the winners then playing the final a few days later - with all games in the final's host city.

The Europa League final is scheduled for Gdansk on Wednesday, May 27 with the Champions League final in Istanbul on Saturday, May 30.

This summer's European Championships are expected to be postponed, potentially for 12 months, as competitions around the continent look to finish their scheduled games.

Premier League games are currently set to return on the first weekend of April, but many believe that is an unrealistic date.

Debate has enraged about how to deal with the crisis facing the domestic scene.

Liverpool are champions in all but name such is their mammoth lead at the top of the table and it is understood that few clubs oppose them being awarded the title regardless.

Although leading light Virgil van Dijk admits he would be "gutted" if the Reds were officially named champions without their fans present.

"No one wants to play games without the fans," said the Dutchman.

"If we won it in an empty stadium and the fans weren't there, I'd be gutted for them," the Dutch international told newspapers.

"Obviously, if there are no fans at Anfield, then it will be a bit of a blow.

"Until a decision is made on how we go on from here, then we just have to deal with it. But when it happens, we are still bringing the title to our fans, definitely."