The calendar prepares for a second semester without respite

EI calendar has become in the big puzzle for the leagues and UEFA to end this season. They are preparing different stages, from the most optimistic (return at the end of April) until more pessimistic (end in July). The latter would cause a domino effect for the following season, forcing the clubs and UEFA to tighten the belt and change their plans, especially summer ones.

In the next six months we will find a overbooking of competitions. Starting in July, since it is probable that the current season ends in the first fortnight of said month (It is already being studied how to extend the contracts that end on June 30), which would lead to delaying the rest of the dates. The first to jump through the air will be the preseason. Players usually go on vacation in June. For this year, everything indicates that the preseason will not start until the first of August. Since players by agreement have a minimum of 21 consecutive days of vacation.

Starting in August would leave just two weeks of preseason for the teams if LaLiga maintains its start around August 15 and 16, as usual. It could even be delayed by a week or two, but it would further collapse the calendar (there would be no free Wednesday to recover games postponed until March or April 2021) if the current format is to be maintained. This would increase the risk of injury to players, unless the limit of footballers per squad is extended. This would present a new problem: the more players, the more spending on salaries. It would upset the teams' accounts, already affected by this break.

Such a short preseason will also impossible to perform stages by USA, China and other countries as usual. Tours that contributed great income to the clubs, mainly for those who participated in the International Champions Cup. Although it will mean the resurgence of Spanish summer tournaments, which have languished in recent times, One of the alternatives to extend the preseason would be to compress the campaign. Door that has already opened several presidents of different federations, including that of the Spanish. “If it can end on June 30, perfect. No, it It will end later. And if later you have to start later or with another format, it will be done, but agreed by everyone, “Rubiales said last Tuesday. It could be a league with a regular phase and then a playoff for the title and relegation.

The one that will have to tighten the belt and change its format is UEFA. Both for the Champions League and Europa League qualifying phase. They usually start on June 29 and end at the end of August. Two months for ten games. Now there will have to be six, only in August. Reducing the qualification phase would allow the Champions League to maintain its group phase format and start in September as usual. What it can do are the final heats and play a single match. The Euro Cup has been relocated and set for June 11, which leaves no room for maneuver and a schedule that will not give a break.