By Jason Burt, John Percy, Mike McGrath and Ben Rumsby
London: England's Premier League clubs have been told that the 2020-21 season must start by the first week of September at the latest. The deadline puts huge pressure on the Premier League to eventually make a decision over the completion of this season and means they cannot resume playing later than July.
The Premier League remains hopeful that the season can start again in the week beginning June 8, although that is dependent on government advice and a lifting of coronavirus restrictions. That was the overriding message from the latest video conference meeting involving the 20 clubs on Friday.
Football in Britain has been suspended since March 13, throwing the Premier League campaign into chaos.Credit: Getty
The clubs discussed the issue of how players would return to training, with one plan being for them to work in pairs for an hour initially at the training ground after getting changed in their cars to minimise contact.
Clubs are expected to be told they will have three weeks from when the government gives the go-ahead for them to be allowed to train to playing matches, which would be behind closed doors.
The issue of having to finish the season by July 1 was not formally raised, despite nine clubs having privately expressed a desire to complete the remaining 92 games by that date because of the "contract chaos", as one source put it, which would occur if they played into July. If the season were to be extended beyond June, then clubs might lose players before fixtures were concluded.
The clubs decided it was not the right time to discuss it, given that the lockdown had been extended for three weeks, but there was acknowledgement that the issue of contracts with players, coaches and sponsors, and commercial deals, due to expire at the end of June would need to be addressed soon by the Premier League.
Players in the Bundesliga are returning to training in the hope of games resuming behind closed doors next month.Credit: Getty Images
A keen interest is being taken in how the Bundesliga is preparing to resume fixtures, with players in Germany having returned to training in the hope that games could be played in May without spectators.
The Premier League stressed that football could not begin again until the government eased restrictions, which have been extended to May 7. At the same time it appears that, as in Germany, football would not be regarded as a special case by the government, with its return also dependent on the roll-out of mass testing.
Premier League staff have been working with club doctors to draw up a series of protocols that would allow football to return in a "safe and appropriate" manner and safeguard against the spread of the virus. Testing would be key to that and the Premier League is keen not to take resources away from vital services. The use of testing would have to have government support.
The Premier League said that "all dates are tentative" and that it was looking at "possible schedule models", but it would struggle to complete the 2020-21 season if it started after the first week in September because of the other competitions that needed to be scheduled and the dates set for the next European Championship, starting on June 11, 2021.
Of prime importance is not to damage two seasons or risk what one Premier League source said was the "integrity" of the next campaign by extending this season beyond the summer. Clubs are concerned as to how they can complete the remaining games and allow a sufficient pre-season - and give the players a break - before the 2020-21 campaign starts.
The Premier League said it "remains our objective" to complete matches following the suspension of football on March 13. "We are actively engaging with stakeholders, including broadcast partners, and our aim is to ensure we are in a position to resume playing when it is safe to do so and with the full support of the government," it said.
Meanwhile, Brighton have discussed pumping crowd noise into their stadium for games behind closed doors, chief executive Paul Barber said.
Telegraph, London