Atletico Madrid to Be 'Invited' Back to Champions League if Current La Liga Season Is Voided
With all attentions turned to how on earth we are going to finish domestic seasons around Europe in the midst of the coronavirus chaos, the Champions League and the Europa League seem to have taken a back seat. Well, until now.
Europe's premier club competitions were thrust back into the limelight on Thursday with the news that UEFA have pencilled in an August 29 date for the postponed 2019/20 Champions League final, with the Europa League to be decided three days earlier.
In order to facilitate that, the governing body are thought to be considering mini tournaments which would take place after the domestic seasons are concluded.
The #UEFAExCo will meet via video-conference next Thursday to discuss the latest developments regarding the impact caused by the coronavirus outbreak on European football.
— UEFA (@UEFA) April 16, 2020
The meetings will look at developments across both domestic and European competitions.
Full statement: 👇
As reported by Sky Sports, any final decision on that front will be made at the end of a series of conferences next week - with UEFA's member associations on Tuesday, the European Leagues body on Wednesday, and finally an executive committee meeting on Thursday 23 April.
But while finishing the 2019/20 competitions is UEFA's priority, it is far from the only concern. There's another major logistical problem facing decision-makers; what are next season's continental competitions going to look like?
Under current plans which would see competitions bleed over into Autumn, it is far from clear how the final places in the 2020/21 editions will be awarded - especially if major divisions such as La Liga are called early as a result of the uncertainty.
That would normally be a concern for the likes of Atlético Madrid, who would miss out on Champions League football on current standings. They sit in sixth, just a point off Real Sociedad in fourth, but are in the quarter-finals of this year's competition - having just eliminated defending champions Liverpool at Anfield.
They should fear not, however, according to COPE. The Spanish outlet say exceptions would be made for Diego Simeone's side in the event of a La Liga cancellation, as they would be 'invited' back.
That's owing to an amalgam of factors - they are said to be seen as intrinsic to the fabric of the competition, having been in the 2014 and 2016 finals, while the fact they just knocked out the champions is also thought to be playing on the minds of UEFA executives.
As things stand, La Liga's plan is to determine Champions League places on current standings, which means Atleti might be left praying these reports hold weight.