In an interview with Italian radio station Radio Bianconera late on Monday night, FIFA and UEFA council member Evelina Christillin has reiterated earlier made comments that UEFA will not agree to postpone any fixtures amid the Coronavirus outbreak.
“UEFA are not thinking of anything, the only sure thing is that it is not possible to postpone the matches neither in the Champions League nor in the Europa League, UEFA are very firm about this and does not assume any kind of political or health responsibility,” she stated.
She then spoke on the possibility of some games being played behind closed doors and the possibility of some games, particularly this coming weekend’s Derby D’Italia between Juventus and Inter at the Allianz Stadium being moved to an alternative venue.
“Is there a need to play behind closed doors? If we are talking about the Italian league I really think so, I don’t think it is possible to move the matches. For example, you cannot make Juventus-Inter play at the Bari or Cagliari’s stadium, it is not a viable hypothesis.”
She concluded by commenting on suggestions made by some that the league should be stopped entirely for the time being: “I don’t think it’s possible. I think playing behind closed doors is the lesser of the two evils.”
So far four Serie A games have already been postponed as a result of the virus as have many other games at lower levels of the Italian football pyramid.
Further postponements are possible whilst it seems like some games will just be played as scheduled albeit behind closed doors, including Inter’s Europa League match against Ludogorets with both clubs already confirming the game will take place without fans in the stadium.
