HOW VIRUS WRECKED GAME WE LOVE
THE CORONAVIRUS has sent football into meltdown with fixtures postponed until next month. This is the timeline of how the deadly bug has affected football... JANUARY 30 Chinese Super League postponed in clear indicator of what was to follow. Odion Ighalo moves to Man United on loan on deadline day.
FEBRUARY 23 Serie A calls off three matches as coronavirus sweeps through Italy and finally impacts upon Europe.
MARCH 1 Switzerland and Italy cancel more games, with Italy admitting games may be played behind closed doors.
MARCH 5 First Champions League game played behind closed doors as Valencia take on Atalanta. Just 24 hours later, PSG’s game with Strasbourg is postponed.
MARCH 6 Pre-match handshakes are banned by UEFA as Prem clubs also order players not to sign autographs or take selfies.
MARCH 10 Chaos kicks in. Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis admits he has the virus. Arsenal, who had recently faced them, have to self-isolate. Chelsea, Man
United and Wolves all told they will have to play European games behind closed doors.
MARCH 11 Arsenal’s game at Man City is postponed amid fears the bug could be spreading. MARCH 12 Leicester admit they have players showing symptoms, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tests positive and, just hours after saying games will go on, an emergency meeting is called by football chiefs.
MARCH 13 Premier League, EFL and FA call off all fixtures for top-flight games and England internationals until at least April 4. MARCH 17 Crunch UEFA meeting where it is expected that Euro 2020 will be postponed for a year. Champions League and Europa League likely to become one-off ties for quarter and semi-finals. MARCH 19 Premier League to hold another crisis meeting to discuss what happens next. Genuine fears the season will not be finished.