Senior journalist: Big news expected today that will have positive knock-on for Leeds promotion
Senior Sun journalist Martin Lipton has said that UEFA will postpone the Euro 2020 finals today to create a window for domestic fixtures to be completed over the summer.
Finishing the season is the most popular view from various figures in the footballing world, with Leeds chief Angus Kinnear saying it was “vital” in an interview with Sky Sports on Monday.
At the present time, it’s the clearest route for Leeds securing promotion.
Talking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show (talkSPORT, Tuesday, 7am) Lipton said, “UEFA will make the decision today to postpone the Euros and create a window in June/July to finish the season.
“Everything’s changing in front of our eyes,” he added. “We’re living in unparalleled times, as are governing bodies and governments.
“If we finish the season late, maybe even the autumn, I think we have to sacrifice the two domestic cups and it’s likely we won’t have European football next season.
“It would create a lot of holes in the calendar to allow matches to get played. The Nations League would be at risk, the World Cup qualifiers in March would be possible.
“UEFA can’t give a timescale [today] because no one knows, but by cancelling the Euros they’ll create a possibility for us to get back on the pitch to play matches.”
Getting players back on the pitch to finish the domestic seasons should be the priority in the footballing world – every other competition should be secondary.
Kinnear said on Monday that if it was a choice of playing behind closed doors or not at all, that they would choose closed doors.
Doing that, with skeleton staff, could be the best opportunity to get games played as early as possible, but cancelling the Euros is step one.
There’s no way they can happen this summer and the news should be confirmed later today.
That will then create the window and focus the minds on getting players back on the pitch to finish the 19/20 season.
Public health might be the most important thing at the moment, but as people spend ever more time isolated indoors, entertainment will be crucial too.
In other Leeds United news, ‘It’s official’, ‘Unbelievable’ – These Leeds fans react to official club Twitter update