Your guide to a continent of confusion & division between haves and have-nots
BY GAVIN BERRY sport@dailyrecord.co.uk
THE writing was on the wall for Scottish clubs even before UEFA boxed the SPFL into a corner with a threatening letter that failing to complete this campaign could jeopardise next season’s Euro places. European football’s governing body reacted angrily to Belgium breaking ranks to crown Brugge champions and could alter the SPFL’s thinking ahead of crisis talks next week on how to deal with the remainder of the 2019-20 term. UEFA wrote to all 55 member associations urging them to work towards a resumption of their seasons and told them to “walk united” but the divide between the haves and have-nots in European football has never been greater. As ever, money is a huge factor in the determination to finish the season with the cost in lost revenue of ending the season to the Big Five estimated at an eye-watering £4BILLION with the majority of that figure coming from loss of broadcasting. Record Sport looks at the stance across the continent.
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are firmly against voiding the season and it’s easy to see why with the cost of that decision around £750million in broadcast revenue alone.
They want the campaign finished with one top-flight club reportedly putting forward the extreme idea of finishing the campaign in CHINA.
But if they want to avoid the 5000-mile trip to the Far East, where coronavirus is said to have originated, then a return to football behind closed doors could be more realistic.
PAYMENT of Ligue 1 broadcasting rights has already been suspended by the world’s biggest sports rights holders beIN Sports – who were due to sign a £40m cheque this weekend – and Canal+ who share the £762m deal for the French top flight.
Premiere Ligue president Bernard Caiazzo warned that half the clubs may go bust without that cash and is desperate for football to return but says it won’t again until at least June 15.
TOP Dutch clubs hit out after the KNVB admitted they want to finish their season before August 3, which prompted Ajax technical director Marc Overmars to compare them to Donald Trump.
The Amsterdam side, along with PSV and AZ Alkmaar, want to end the campaign while giants Feynoord have held fire on a decision until clubs meet next week.
BROKE ranks and declared Brugge champions with the leaders 15 points clear with just one regular-season game remaining before the play-offs to decide the top half of the table.
With that decision opening the door for other nations to follow suit, UEFA responded with an astonishing threat that anyone considering the same could be putting places in next season’s European club competitions at risk. But the Belgian Pro League are unrepentant.