Lausanne (AFP)
The format and calendar for the 2019-2020 Champions League epilogue, interrupted due to the coronavirus and whose resumption is expected in August, are on the agenda of a crucial meeting of UEFA next Wednesday and Thursday , the European Confederation announced on Thursday.
The host cities of Euro-2020, postponed by one year to the summer of 2021, should also be validated during this videoconference meeting of the Executive Committee of the body.
Chosen before the pandemic, Istanbul is still the city officially designated to host the 2020 C1 final.
But the pandemic has changed the situation and the cities of Frankfurt, Lisbon, Madrid and Moscow have been mentioned in the press as possible alternatives. The BBC reported on Tuesday that the Portuguese capital seemed to be holding on.
According to the press, UEFA could envisage a tighter format for the C1 disputed in August, with single matches on neutral ground starting from the quarter-finals instead of the traditional round-trip format, perhaps by bringing together the eight teams in running in the same city.
When football stopped due to the pandemic in March, the Champions League was in the round of 16, with four teams already qualified for the quarters: Atlético Madrid, Atalanta Bergamo, RB Leipzig and Paris SG.
Lyon, meanwhile, won the first leg of the first knockout round (1-0) at home to Juventus Turin.
Concerning the 16th edition of the European Nations Championship, initially planned for the summer of 2020 in twelve cities, doubts have arisen on the ability of a "reduced number" of host cities to maintain their commitment, said UEFA. .
The final list of stadiums selected should be known on Wednesday.
During the meeting, UEFA will also discuss the continuation and end of the Europa League and the Women's Champions League, which have also been suspended, as well as the 2020-2021 edition of the Men's Champions League.
© 2020 AFP