LaLiga has put the brakes on the advance of the COVID-19 pandemic. The future of the 2019-20 season is in the air and Luis Rubiales has already confirmed that they move in four possible scenarios. In two of them Barcelona would finish as champion of the present edition of the First Division and Cádiz as that of the Second, achieving promotion to LaLiga Santander. The decision will be made on March 25 in a joint Commission between members of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga. But if there is a conflict between both parties and an agreement is not reached, it will be Rubiales who decides.
Who decides the future of LaLiga Santander and SmartBank?
As stated in the Coordination Agreement signed by Javier Tebas and Luis Rubiales in July 2019, the final classification of the competition will have to be decided by mutual agreement between LaLiga and the Federation. “The proposals on the development of the competition, final classification and determination of the winning clubs correspond to LaLiga, which will need the prior agreement of the RFEF to carry them out.”
Article VI of said agreement adds: To this end, a commission will be created, made up of the Secretary General of the RFEF and the person designated by LaLiga and their respective Heads of Competitions, in order to analyze the necessary regulatory changes so that this Commission is competent for all matters. that is referring to sports eventualities during the competition. In case of disagreement it will be the President of the RFEF, or the body in which he delegates, who will finally decide“.
Scenario one: play every game
Initially, LaLiga has announced the stoppage of the competition for the next two days. Although this measure could be extended over time if necessary. The problem that the competition finds to end the 38 days played is the calendar, which is loaded with competitions. The decisions made by UEFA, both for the Champions and the Europa League and for the Euro Cup, whose start is set for June 12, will determine the feasibility of concluding the domestic championships in all European leagues.
As of today there are only two free dates on the calendar to make up delayed days. It would be April 18 and May 20. If the format of the Champions League were to be suspended or modified (to play a single match all the qualifying rounds) it could free more weeks or another one that is on the table: move the Euro Cup to June 2021. In this way, it would be released in June and all postponed matches could be played.
Second scenario: leave the season deserted
If the situation is complicated and the suspension of the championship is extended during the time and the recovery of all the days is unfeasible, the Federation and LaLiga could decide that this season would be deserted in all aspects. There would be no champion in any of the competitions and promotions and descents would be canceled. Participating next season all the teams in the same category that have been doing it in this edition.
Third scenario: finish on day 27
To date, 27 days have been played. One of the possibilities would be to finish the competition until the last date played. What would leave Barcelona as league champion, Madrid, Seville and Real Sociedad in Champions League positions; to Getafe and Atlético in the Europa League, and Mallorca, Leganés and Espanyol would descend to Second. Instead, Cádiz and Zaragoza would ascend directly.
But this scenario would not have many options for a reason: not everyone has faced each other the same number of times. Crashing against the purity of the competition. Term that has been used on many occasions by the Federation itself to prevent the competition from taking away from Spain and playing on neutral ground.
Fourth scenario: results of the first round
Another possible scenario if the competition cannot continue is for the champion to be decided, the European positions and the descents and promotion. according to the results obtained in the first round of the competition. There everyone would have faced each other on one occasion. In this way, Barcelona would also be proclaimed league champion but for the goal difference with Madrid, since both finished the first round with 40 points. Atlético and Sevilla would be in the Europa League; while Mallorca, Leganés and Espanyol would descend.
From this option, one could be drawn that has been considered in Serie A. Which is to play a playoff for the title and another for relegation, if there was time to play a game, but not the total of the remaining eleven days.