UEFA consider ‘Final Four’ format in the Champions League

UEFA are considering an unusual approach to completing this season’s Champions League and Europa League, ahead of a crunch meeting on March 17.

Currently, all games in both competitions have been suspended, with four Champions League last 16 second legs still to play, and 12 Europa League last 16 games unfulfilled.

The two competitions have been suspended due to European football’s almost universal shut down due to the ongoing spread of the Covid-19 virus.

However, according to reports in Diario AS, UEFA are considering a radical approach to complete the competitions in the coming weeks.

According to the report, UEFA are considering one of two options for the Champions League quarter finals, once the last 16 is completed, most likely behind closed doors.

One is to play all four games at a neutral stadium, and the other is to play all games at one of the quarter finalists home stadium, which would be decided by UEFA.

The most likely neutral venue for the Champions League would be Turkey, with Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium set as this season’s final host.

The semi finals and final, of both competitions, would then be concentrated into four days, based in one city, to allow the freeing up of more dates to complete domestic calendars.

An additional report from Diario AS also states that UEFA were considering moving Euro 2020 to Turkey, due to the low number of outbreaks in the country.

However, that is unlikely to the amount of travel it would in incur for fans, and potentially lead to a greater spread of infection.

The most likely course of action as it stands is that the tournament is postponed until 2021.

All 55 national federations of UEFA will meet via teleconference on March 17, where a host of votes will be made on the next steps for European football.

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