UEFA has a week left to refine its plans. Wednesday, June 17, the European governing body will meet to validate the end of its season, left pending mid-March, in the middle of the knockout stages of the Champions League, because of the health crisis. But according to several foreign media, notably German and Italian, the outlines of these plans are beginning to take shape. We give you all that.
The format: a “Final 8” over a week
Rather than transposing its usual format with round-trip matches in the stadium of each team, UEFA would have opted for a more shortened format, both logical given the tight schedule and health constraints, and exciting sporting. Like what other sports like handball or basketball are used to, the LOC could end with a "Final 8", that is to say a mini-tournament over a week, in a single city, with dry elimination matches (quarters, semi and finals). For the moment, no information has filtered on the date, but we can probably count on an event from August 14 to 23, with a final on Sunday 23.
Before this "Final 8", for which PSG, Atalanta Bergamo, Leipzig and Atletico Madrid are already qualified, UEFA must complete the other round of 16, whose return matches have not yet been played. Juventus-Lyon, Manchester City-Real Madrid, FC Barcelona-Naples and Bayern Munich-Chelsea will be "normal", that is to say on the ground of the one who moved outward, probably during the weekend of August 8 and 9. The four winners will go to "Final 8".
The place: Lisbon a favorite, but Istanbul still believes in it
Since the rumor of a final tournament in one place spread, several cities have applied for its organization. According to Bild, for example, Moscow, Madrid or Frankfurt were hot, without forgetting Istanbul, which was originally to host the final of this edition. But it would obviously be Lisbon that would hold the rope. The capital of Portugal has two definite advantages: it is part of a country relatively spared by the Covid and offers three stadiums likely to organize matches if organizational constraints prevented UEFA from doing everything in the same enclosure.
If nothing will be officially decided before Wednesday evening, the story seems to be settled. Even if Istanbul does not admit defeat. “I have no doubt that [this final] will be played the best way in Turkey. We are confident that we will receive good news on June 17, "said Turkish Sports Minister Mehmet Kasapoglu on Thursday.
As for the presence of spectators in the stadiums and the possibility given to supporters of the different clubs to make the trip, nothing has yet filtered. No doubt it is still too early to assume the health situation in mid-August.
The female version: the same in the Basque Country
UEFA should indeed take the same decision to complete the Women's Champions League, whose posters for the quarter-finals are already known. Except that the "Final 8" would rather take place, according to Marca, from August 21 to 30 and in two stadiums in the Basque Country, in San Sebastian and Bilbao. And in camera. As with men, the same two French clubs are still in the running, PSG and Lyon.
Finally, the same story for the Europa League (for men). A "Final 8" should be organized in Germany, but in a city and on dates still unknown. No French club is concerned.
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