SCOTS CLUBS MAY FACE EURO HOME LEGS ABROAD

SCOTLAND’S leading clubs could be forced to play European qualifiers in a ‘neutral’ country if lockdown isn’t lifted in Scotland before the new season kicks off. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned yesterday that teams across Europe must be ready for the new campaign. Predicting that a ‘majority of leagues’ will be finished in time, he said the current Champions League and Europa League competitions should be concluded by August.

The plan is then to go immediately into season 2020-21, with — pending today’s vote — Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell and Aberdeen all due to compete in the first qualifying rounds of their respective competitions.

But the Scottish Government has yet to offer clear guidance on when even closed-door games will be possible, with fears of causing a coronavirus ‘second wave’ prompting a cautious approach. Ceferin, citing the example of French clubs currently locked down until September, warned: ‘If you cannot play in your country, then you have to organise it at a neutral ground.

‘I don’t see the reason why French authorities would not allow them to organise a match without spectators, but let’s see. It’s out of my power. ‘Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon will have to organise (matches) in France. If this is not possible, (they) will have to organise it at a neutral ground.

‘I think the majority of leagues will finish the season. The ones who will not, it’s their decision. But they will still have to play qualifiers if they want to participate in the European UEFA competitions.’ As things stand, Rangers will still get the chance to pull off a Europa League miracle against Bayer Leverkusen, having lost the home leg of their last-16 tie 3-1 just a day before all football in Scotland was suspended.

Ceferin told beIN Sports that UEFA are optimistic about playing the current club competitions to a finish, saying: ‘We have an idea but have to wait for the executive committee of UEFA to confirm the dates. ‘I can say that the European season will be finished, if everything is as it is now, in August.

‘As things look now, I’m sure that we can finish the European season and this means UEFA competition.’