Covid-19: La Liga's priority remains to end the season on the pitch

A commission has been formed to study the different ways to end the La Liga season and they are looking at all possible scenarios, albeit with a clear priority: to finish the league campaign. They want the title winners, the teams that qualify for Europe and those that get relegated to be decided on the pitch, not via an administrative decision, such as giving the title based on the current standings or even declaring the season void after 27 games. 

The president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, believes it will be possible to end the season, although they may need time between May 15 and June 30. 

Therefore, it's essential for the domestic leagues across Europe that Euro 2020 and the Copa America, scheduled for the summer, are postponed. 

Tuesday meeting 

In this sense, UEFA has organised a meeting for Tuesday -- via video link in the majority of cases -- to analyse the situation. Postponing Euro 2020 until 2021 seems the most reasonable option and could be supported by RFEF chief Luis Rubiales, who is also vice president of UEFA. That would damage the Nations League, Europe's new international tournament, but it would give room for maneuver elsewhere to allow for coronavirus to be combatted. 

If the suspension of Euro 2020 is confirmed, La Liga and RFEF would have to work together to come up with a concrete plan of how to end the season. 

Government and health authorities would also have a say, but at this moment they would have additional time to finish the season. 

Play-off

Once option to finish the season by playing less games would be a play-off. That's to say, reducing La Liga and playing short ties between teams involved in the different zones of the standings: the title race, the Champions League spots, Europe League placings and relegation. It's an extreme solution. Another, again depending on time, would be to play twice a week, Wednesday and Sunday, to speed up proceedings. 

Although that would also have to take into account how UEFA decide to move forward with the Champions League and the Europa League. For the moment, Atletico Madrid are through to the quarterfinals and Valencia and Espanyol are out, but Real Madrid, Barcelona, Roma and Getafe are still alive in their respective competitions. 

As for the Segunda Division, they're studying the idea that the top three will be promoted and the traditional end-of-season play-offs are binned.