CEFERIN CALL ON GERS TIE WAS CRIMINAL
BY ALAN MARSHALL
UNDER-FIRE UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has been labelled a “criminal” by his own country’s prime minister for allowing games like Rangers’ Europa League tie with Bayer Leverkusen to go ahead.
European football’s governing body have been heavily criticised for their response to the coronavirus crisis, with football now shut down across the world.
They were accused of holding clubs hostage by demanding European leagues continue their season when football resumes and they’ve also been slaughtered for being too slow to react.
Rangers’ home tie against Leverkusen last month was the last match to take place in Scotland before lockdown, with the Germans winning the first leg 3-1.
And Slovenian Ceferin has been attacked by his own country’s prime minister, Janez Jansa, for his handling of the crisis, after the UEFA president initially accused him of “apocalypticism” with his speeches.
Jensa said: “Ceferin allowed the Champions League match between
Atalanta and Valencia to go ahead as well as other games across Europe that night.
“These matches were not cancelled because of their greed for money.
“And look at what has happened in Italy and Spain? The virus started there and has spread across Europe because of this match.
“We in Slovenia have not been immune from it.
“It was an irresponsible and criminal move by him and UEFA.
“Since UEFA is under his auspices, then he is responsible for this. He is the culprit.
“The World Health Organisation had already declared a pandemic before these matches took place. Now tens of thousands of people have died and many, many more will die too.”