UEFA president Ceferin admits Champions League may be abandoned if Covid-19 restrictions continue past summer

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admits the Champions League and Europa League may have to be abandoned if Covid-19 restrictions don’t begin to ease over the summer.

The finals of both Champions League competitions and the Europa League have already been postponed from their scheduled dates in May over the crisis.

The men’s Champions League and Europa League are at the last 16 stage while the women’s Champions League is at the quarter-final stage.

UEFA have also postponed this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament by a year and several European leagues have set back their deadlines to finish the 2019/20 campaign.

And Ceferin conceded it would be difficult to finish both domestic and European competition if the restrictions continue into September.

"We can't play it out in September or October. If the authorities do not allow us to play, then we cannot play,” Ceferin told ZDF Sportstudio.

“The fact is that we really don’t know much. We are waiting for the development of this terrible situation in the world, and mainly in Europe.

"It is still better to play the game behind closed doors and have it on TV, which is what the people need and want because it brings positive energy to their homes, than not playing at all.

“That’s what the people want, that brings positive energy, and it will be July or August."