UEFA has edged towards the SPFL ruling that a title can be awarded without the season being completed, a ‘special case’.
After their last video conference there was a flurry of messages from UEFA that Champions League places could be withheld if domestic campaigns were cut short.
Last week the SPFL got approval from more than 80% of their members to award titles based on average points per game with the Championship, League One and League Two decided on that basis.
With the Scottish Government warning that mass gatherings won’t be permitted ‘any time soon’ everything is moving towards the 2019/20 Premiership title being awarded on the same basis as the three other divisions.
After today’s video conference UEFA stated:
UEFA today met its 55 member associations via videoconference and presented an update of the options being looked into by the two working groups that were created mid-March.
A variety of calendar options were presented covering both national team and club competition matches.
The funding of National Associations through UEFA’s HatTrick programme was also discussed with UEFA reiterating its commitment to meeting the payments to member associations as planned.
There was a strong recommendation given to finish domestic top division and cup competitions, although it is understood that there may be some special cases. With this in mind, UEFA is currently developing some guidelines concerning participation in its club competitions, in order to assist its member associations in case of a cancelled league or cup.
Any developments on the above topics would be announced after the UEFA Executive Committee on Thursday.
Belgium has already indicated that they will award their title to current leaders Club Brugge with an announcement expected from the Dutch Government tonight.
Celtic have eight matches left to play with a 13 point advantage with the SPFL and SFA treading carefully about any decision with one club calling for the suspension of Neil Doncaster to allow an independent enquiry into the vote that permits the SPFL board to call the season early.
Celtic have played in Champions League qualifiers for each of the last eight seasons.