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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Gabriel McKay

SPFL 'given three Premiership options' as UEFA clarify response to ending season early

The Scottish Premiership season could end with mini-leagues or play-offs - or face UEFA dictating which teams qualify for Europe.

On Tuesday the European governing body held talks with all 55 member associations to update them on the response to the coronavirus shutdown.

Record Sport revealed that they have not backed down on their demands for all top flight campaigns to be played to a finish over the summer.

UEFA intends for all leagues to finish by the end of July, allowing a 'festival of football' in August as the Champions League and Europa League conclude.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already expressed concern about football resuming, but it appears UEFA have three options on the table.

(SNS Group)

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, all 55 associations have been told to conclude their seasons by August 3 to allow teams to be submitted for next season's European competitions.

The priority is for all league seasons to be completed as planned, but the Nyon powerbrokers offered two other potential solutions.

UEFA has proposed finishing seasons with a reduced schedule, which could mean play-offs or mini tournaments to decide league placings.

In Scotland this could mean playing up to the split and declaring that table final, or play-offs between sides where league positioning is in doubt.

Those games would almost certainly have to be played behind closed doors.

After initially threatening European bans for leagues that conclude early, that option will now be considered in exceptional circumstances.

But Gazzetta reports in that event it will be UEFA who decide which teams enter the Champions League and Europa League next season.

All 55 associations were assured on the call that any decision taken would be based on "fairness, transparency and sporting merit".

UEFA will evaluate that decision on a league-by-league basis which sides will qualify for European competition.

The UEFA Champions League and the Europa League trophies (UEFA)

With the plan to finish the Champions League and Europa League by the end of August, qualifying rounds for next season's tournament would also be played in that month.

That could present a real problem for Rangers if they advance past Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League last 16 tie, as they'd have to play qualifiers for next season's competition while still competing in the 2019-20 edition.

The draw for the group stages would then be made at the beginning September, with the group stages beginning around a month later.

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