COVID-19 Impact on European Football

MinWoo Lee

How much influence does Corona have?

With countless coronavirus cases occurring across Europe, European governments are eager to
contain the spread as much as possible. Accordingly, self-isolation and postponement of major
sports events were recommended.

Italy is the place where the most cases of invention have been reported in Europe. Many Serie
A matches have already been postponed, including those between the football club teams Inter
and Juventus. It was also announced that it will be 'unattended' until April 3. The same goes for
Inter and Ludogorets' Europa League. The Swiss Super League postponed its weekend match
schedule after the government banned large-scale public events. Opening of the Chinese Super
League and the South Korean K League have also been postponed.

Will shaking hands before the game be banned?

With the announcement that Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has banned handshaking
at the training ground, many say that the ceremony tradition of players and officials shaking
hands before every game may be banned.

Now, most of the words that come from clubs are "as usual." The Premier League is said to
have continued to talk to government health officials, giving the latest guidelines to 20 Premier
League clubs. Meanwhile, the Wolverhampton Wanderers even banned fans and players from
taking selfies together in order to prevent the spread of the disease through contact with
strangers.

Is soccer in England safe to watch?

So far, no matches in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland have been affected by the
coronavirus. Worries about coronavirus are leading to widespread fear. This is especially true of
travel. Many people are canceling their travel plans, and there are discussions among fans about
how it is safest to watch the games. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends with Level 3 countries that unnecessary travel should be avoided to China, Iran,
South Korea and Italy. While most leagues across Europe are continuing as planned, specific
match information should be kept on the watch.

Will the Premier League be influenced by Corona, too?

While the Premier League and the FA are reviewing contingency plans to postpone or play
indifferent, they have not yet been directly affected by the coronation. The Premier League is
having discussions to keep the season going. If the season needs to finish early, there's a chance
Liverpool won't win the trophy as the chance of the Premier League making an immediate
decision on the coronavirus is extremely low. British cases of coronavirus infections are still
considered minimal. Currently, the government has no plans to ban large-scale rallies.

Will the Champions League be affected?

The coronavirus has not yet affected many parts of Europe. Champions League matches will
resume as planned, although the worst-hit region is northern Italy and issues still remain.
The Spanish government has announced that the match between Naples and Barcelona be
played indifferently on the news, and that the match between Valencia and Atalanta will be held.
French Minister Roxana Maracineanu reportedly claimed that Paris Saint-Germain's sixteenth
Champions League home match against Borussia Dortmund could be played without notice.
There are also rumors that Juventus may play Lyon at neutral stadiums instead of at home in
Turin – none of these rumors have been confirmed.

Will Euro 2020 be affected by coronavirus?

Unlike the previous events held in just one country, the Euro 2020 will be held across the
entire continent. There has been a widespread fear concerning health with this competition.
There is a rumor that UEFA will cancel the entire tournament or switch to hosting within a single
country to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

UEFA is reportedly in talks with authorities around the world. There are no plans to switch to a
single country at the moment, and under the current circumstances, the opening will be held in
Rome, Italy, on June 12 as planned.