July 2 – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is confident that there will be “no need for a Plan B” for this season’s final eight of the Europa League which Germany will stage in August.
After a conference call with the German FA, the DFB, UEFA voiced their confidence that the mini-tournament to decide this season’s Europa League can go ahead as scheduled. “As with the UEFA Champions League Final Eight in Portugal, there is no need for a Plan B for this tournament in Germany,” said Ceferin in a UEFA statement. “Both parties stressed their strong belief that all measures will be taken to ensure that the matches will be hosted in a safe and secure manner.”
In March, the Europa League was suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, which halted football leagues and competitions around the world. In response to the shutdown, Europe’s governing body was forced to rejig and reformat the Europa League to fit in the competition’s remaining fixtures in an increasingly congested calendar. UEFA opted for a mini-tournament in Germany.
Cologne, Duisburg, Duesseldorf and Gelsenkirchen will stage the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in straight knockout rounds from August 10-21, with Cologne hosting the final. The remaining round of 16 fixtures will be completed on August 5 and 6 in Germany or in the original venues.
Earlier this week, Ceferin had also dismissed any speculation that a newly imposed lockdown in Lisbon would derail plans for the Champions League final, saying that: “There is no need for a Plan B”. In August, the Portuguese capital will host a final eight tournament to crown a Champions League winner.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1735106351labto1735106351ofdlr1735106351owedi1735106351sni@o1735106351fni1735106351