Andy Thompson: Don't nullify Wolves' season

The first of several key meetings takes place today when Uefa holds a teleconference with stakeholders over how best to confront the coronavirus outbreak.

Euro 2020 is expected to be postponed, while completing both the Champions League and Europa League as mini-tournaments will be one option put forward in a bid to ease possible fixture congestion.

The latter would have a direct impact on Wolves, who were at the midway point of a last-16 tie with Olympiacos when the competition was suspended last Friday. The EFL and the Premier League are then set to hold their own meetings on Wednesday and Thursday respectively to discuss their own plans.

All professional football is currently suspended until the first week in April and though a number of possible solutions have been mooted, including declaring the season null and void, Thompson believes there is no reason to rush any decision and feels the emphasis must be on finishing the campaign.

“I really do believe that, no matter how long it takes, they need to try to finish the season,” he said.

“It doesn’t look like anyone will be back playing in the near future so there really does not need to be any rush.

“I don’t really think you can go and nullify the league. If we were just at the start of the season then maybe it would be an option but we are so far down the line I don’t think it would be right or fair to almost pretend it never happened.

“The most important thing, above all else, is to make sure everyone is OK. Health must come first.”

Uefa is keen for both the Champions League and Europa League to reach a conclusion in order to satisfy major broadcasting contracts.

Both the Champions League and Europa League are at the last-16 stage, with six matchdays remaining, including the final.

There has been suggestion both the quarter-finals and semi-finals could now be played as one-off matches, while they might also be staged as a mini-tournament, in Istanbul and Gdansk, host cities for this season’s final.

Euro 2020 is expected to be postponed until at least the winter in order to free up time for domestic leagues to complete their campaigns.

Today’s meeting will be chaired by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.