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UEFA's idea is to complete Champions League, Europa League with one-legged matches at single venue: Getafe president

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: May 29, 2020, 06:37 PM IST
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Photograph:(Reuters)

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UEFA is planning to complete the 2019-20 Champions League and Europa League competitions by playing the remaining round of matches in one host city, as per Getafe president Angel Torres.

UEFA is planning to complete the 2019-20 Champions League and Europa League competitions by playing the remaining round of matches in one host city, as per Getafe president Angel Torres.

Both Champions and Europa League were put on hold at the round of 16 stage in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak with the Champions League final in Istanbul and Europa League spectacle in Gdansk also postponed. 

“UEFA’s idea is to play the Champions League and Europa League, starting from the quarter-finals, across one match in one venue although nothing has been confirmed yet,” Torres told Spanish radio station Cadena COPE on Friday.

“They will come to a decision on June 17 (when the executive committee meets).”

According to Torres, the traditional two-legged ties of the knockout competitions until the final will be scrapped with just one match deciding the outcome. 

UEFA said: “A working group has been set up with the participation of representatives from the leagues and clubs to examine calendar solutions and format options that would allow for the completion of the current season.

“A variety of options are being looked at and no decisions have been made at this stage.”

Getafe’s round of 16 first-leg match against Inter Milan was postponed after stern criticism by Torres about the match being played in Italy, which was the European epicenter of the pandemic, at that time.

Meanwhile, the second legs of four Champions League RO16 fixture are still pending with four clubs in Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta and Red Bull Leipzig qualifying for the quarter-finals.