Times report details PL meeting that could see 19/20 season not finish and Leeds still promoted
A Times report has claimed that “at least half” of the 20 Premier League clubs are going to push for the 19/20 season to finish by July 1 in Friday’s meeting, irrespective of whether all fixtures have been played.
That represents a change from an earlier meeting where the consensus was to finish the season come what may.
The issue is player contracts with one senior club figure quoted as saying, “We are in danger of entering chaos territory.”
While FIFA has made it possible for clubs to extend contracts – with many expiring on June 30 – lawyers have warned that clubs might not be able to stop players leaving. [Sky Sports]
The Premier League requires 14 of the 20 clubs to enforce a change in the rules but the Times report claims that there is “confidence” the plan would be ratified.
What does it mean for Leeds United?
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This is very different to voiding the season and wiping all results from the books.
Instead, the Premier League would play as many matches as possible in that timeframe before deciding the league positions.
Liverpool would likely be crowned champions, and promotion and relegation would still happen.
The Times has put forward three possible ways of ending the season early, with the most straightforward said to be on a points-per-game basis.
That’s what’s happened in Scotland after the SPFL resolution to end the 19/20 season from the Championship and below was voted through on Wednesday. The SPFL has the power to decide the Premiership in the same way.
If the Championship was decided on points-per-game, Leeds would go up as champions.
The other two methods the Times suggest seem more unlikely – predicting the fixtures that couldn’t be played or deciding the season on just the first fixture between the two teams.
The Championship is governed by the EFL and there is no imperative to follow what the Premier League decides to do.
The latest from the EFL is to play the remaining fixtures in 56 days with games starting in early June behind closed doors.
However, any precedent set by the Premier League could have knock-on effects, with player contracts likely to be just as big an issue in the EFL.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Radrizzani has gone on record’ – Exclusive: Pundit reacts to £97m Leeds claim on Sky Sports