Premier League

Sane damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last August and was nearing a first-team return before the Premier League season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gundogan said he was sometimes training with Sane, 24, remotely and feels the attacker – who has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich – could be helped by the hiatus.

"We have the same fitness coach in Germany. Some days we do our exercises via FaceTime. It's worked out well so far and we're on it and trying to be very focused," he said, via the club's website.

"For everyone the situation has its good and bad sides. On one hand, Leroy had already trained with the team and he had his comeback in sight, even though he still had a few minor things.

"But he was almost back at playing again. Especially for your psyche, it's important to be able to play again after such a long time.

"On the other hand, he now has a bit more time to figure out those minor problems he still had. The fact that others can't play either is not so bad for him."

Gundogan, whose side were 25 points adrift of leaders Liverpool when play was halted, admitted it was at times tough to get motivated when training alone.

"I have a few things to do and then I'm ready to go," the Germany international said.

"To be honest, it's not so easy to motivate yourself these days every day when you are training. You know, like people who are working from home, you can maybe compare it to that.

"For those people it's also not the same as driving to work every day and then doing their jobs.

"You have to motivate yourself to do things and to do your work. Some days it's harder than others."

The Premier League, like almost every other league throughout Europe, is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving Liverpool 25 points clear in pursuit of a first top-flight title in 30 years.

It was confirmed last week that the season will not resume in May, with no return date specified as the United Kingdom fights to contain the spread of the virus.

Dates are now available for club football to be played in June and July after Euro 2020 and the Copa America were postponed by a year.

However, Shaw believes the campaign should be scrapped if a way to restart cannot be found.

"Scrap it and start again," said Shaw, speaking on a Twitch stream of a FIFA 20 competition for Unicef's Combat Corona fundraiser.

"Start it again. If we can't carry it on, it's got to be void."

Liverpool need just six points to win the title, but they are not the only club who would miss out in the event of the season being expunged.

It would also prevent United from qualifying for the Champions League. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are three points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, but fifth would be enough to qualify if Manchester City's ban from the competition is upheld.

United were on an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions when the season was suspended, with Shaw adding: "That's why we were disappointed, because we were really confident and results were going our way but the most important thing is the lives."

Shaw is not a fan of the idea of playing the remaining games behind closed doors, as United did in their Europa League game at LASK, their final outing before the postponement.

"Fans are so important, you realise it even more [now]," he added. "I think the sport is for fans really... I think if you don't have fans, and you don't play in front of fans, it just doesn't feel right.

"Especially on matchday, the fans are always amazing and always help the team. Whether it's home or even away, our fans are always brilliant and I feel like they're always there with us."

More than 30,800 people have died from coronavirus, with the number of cases worldwide exceeding 660,000.

Shevchenko, who was a child at the time of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 that reportedly killed 54 people and is said to have led to thousands of deaths, said he saw similarities.

"I lived a moment very similar to this. At the time, I was nine years old," the Ukraine coach told Sky Sport.

"The only thing we have to do is avoid stupid behaviour. None of us can be sure that we have no contracted the virus.

"We must not go out, we must not think only of us, but above all of those people for whom the infection would be a greater problem."

Shevchenko thanked doctors and nurses and urged people to respect guidance from their governments.

Italy, where Shevchenko played with AC Milan from 1999-2006, has seen more than 10,000 deaths due to coronavirus.

"The only solution is to respect the rules of the government – that is to stay at home and give doctors the opportunity to do their job, which is really huge," he said.

"Give them volunteer nurses, they are the heroes of our time. They must be thanked for all they are doing."

The Premier League announced the results after 748 tests were administered across Sunday and Monday.

Those who were positive have been ordered to self-isolate for a week.

A statement read: "The Premier League can today confirm that, on Sunday May 17 and Monday May 18, 748 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19.

"Of these, six have tested positive from three clubs.

"Players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate for a period of seven days. 

"The Premier League is providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and oversight.

"No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided by the Premier League due to legal and operational requirements."

The Premier League, like most major sporting competitions across the globe, has been on hiatus since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A decision to suspend the competition was taken after Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi were both found to have contracted COVID-19.

The Bundesliga became the first major European league to resume action at the weekend, while Premier League clubs have voted to return to training in small groups without contact work from Tuesday, despite reports over conflicts of interest among the 20 teams on aspects to do with 'Project Restart'. 

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said on Monday there was flexibility on the June 12 target for fixtures to be played. 

United were fifth in the Premier League table when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Solskjaer hopes to see his team use their extra time to work on certain parts of their games, including finishing.

"The players have got individual programmes and they've got their own diets, of course, and this period could be used to work on something special, something specific for them and their roles and tasks," the United manager told the club's website on Tuesday.

"I've been in the garden, with the kids, working on finishing and the strikers should be working on finishing or their movement. Most of the players have got good facilities and decent gardens so, hopefully, their wives and girlfriends will be able to put some passes and crosses in.

"So I'm in the garden, of course, as we've had time with the kids now. So I have to keep on top of it, you know."

Solskjaer has been spending his time with his family while remaining in touch with his players and staff.

The Norwegian said it was tough to plan for a return as it remains unknown when, and if, the season will resume.

"For the actual job, I keep in touch and communicate with the staff and the players. Of course, I'm used to seeing them every day for hours and hours, so it's different," Solskjaer said.

"I just keep in touch with them on WhatsApp groups and messages, and we plan for whenever we get back and what kind of sessions for when we do start. But it's such an unknown and we don't really have an idea and are not 100 per cent about when we'll start.

"That's the good thing now with technology and we're lucky in that sense. We can keep in touch and see each other. We can send messages and get a reply quickly, and we can do the old-fashioned phone call sometimes and speak just on the phone. So we keep in touch regularly."

Son is in quarantine in South Korea having returned to his home country at the end of March after football in England was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 27-year-old, who has not played since February after fracturing his arm, will return to Spurs in May.

Son was exempted from the mandatory 21-month military service after leading South Korea to a gold medal at the Asian Games in September 2018, but he was still due to complete a four-week programme ahead of the 2020-21 season.

However, with the Premier League acknowledging it will not resume in early May as previously planned, Son will use the period to undertake his duty.

"Our medical staff are in regular contact as he concludes his recovery after fracturing his arm in our 3-2 win against Aston Villa on 16 February and continues to train," a Tottenham statement read.

"Sonny had surgery on his arm in South Korea before returning to the UK at the end of February to continue his rehabilitation, prior to the initial announcement of the professional game in England being suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Premier League has since announced that the 2019- 20 season will only return when it is 'safe and appropriate to do so' and is under constant review.

"Son will return to London following the conclusion of his military service in May."

As football associations and governments aim to slow the spread of the virus, top-flight competitions have been postponed for the time being.

We take a look at the state of play in Europe's top five leagues.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Suspended since: March 13
Suspended until:April 3
Matches played: 28-29 of 38

The Premier League has been paused at least until after the international break, although the intended return date appears purely provisional as the league prepares for further discussions on the matter. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi have both tested positive.

Liverpool are 25 points clear of defending champions Manchester City and need just two more wins when play resumes to clinch their first league title since 1990.

Meanwhile, the race for European qualification is complicated somewhat by City's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport following their ban from UEFA competitions. Fifth place, occupied by Manchester United, could be enough to play Champions League football next season.

At the bottom, Norwich City are propping up the league and sit six points shy of safety. But the five teams above them are separated by just four points as they look to avoid relegation.

LALIGA

Suspended since:March 12
Suspended until: April 3
Matches played: 27 of 38

LaLiga had been set to be played behind closed doors leading into the international break, but Real Madrid went into quarantine when a player on their basketball team tested positive, and the season was instead postponed for "at least" two matchweeks.

Should the season be belatedly able to continue, a tense title race is on the cards. Barcelona lead bitter rivals Madrid by just two points, having reclaimed top spot ahead of the suspension when Zinedine Zidane's side lost at Real Betis.

There are then just two points between Sevilla in third and Atletico Madrid in sixth, with Real Sociedad and Getafe also in the hunt for Champions League qualification.

Espanyol, Leganes and Real Mallorca occupy the relegation places, but the latter two sides won their previous matches. Celta Vigo are a point clear of Mallorca in 17th.

SERIE A

Suspended since:March 9
Suspended until: April 3
Matches played: 25-26 of 38

Some Serie A matches had been postponed even before the Italian government confirmed a suspension of all sport in the country until April 3, leaving the league table a little imbalanced.

The country remains on lockdown, while a number of players – including Daniele Rugani, Manolo Gabbiadini and Patrick Cutrone – have tested positive.

Italy's top flight had been engaged in a gripping title tussle, with defending champions Juventus only a point ahead of Lazio. Inter have also been in the mix all season but lost to the Bianconeri behind closed doors last week to fall nine points off the pace, albeit with a game in hand.

Atalanta have lit up the Champions League this season and are hoping to qualify for next term. They sit fourth, three points ahead of Roma, who have played a game more.

Brescia and SPAL both look destined for the drop, meanwhile, but Lecce – in 18th – are level on points with Genoa, whose rivals Sampdoria are a point better off.

BUNDESLIGA

Suspended since: March 13
Suspended until: March 19
Matches played: 24-25 of 34

Bundesliga matches have only been postponed for one matchweek as things stand, yet the clubs are set to meet on Monday as the DFL suggests a suspension until April 2. Paderborn's Luca Kilian was the first player in the top flight to test positive on Friday.

The enforced break came as Bayern Munich were building a lead at the top of the table. There was a four-way battle between the defending champions, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach at one stage. But Leipzig are winless in two and have dropped to third, a point behind Dortmund and five behind Bayern.

Those four teams are not yet even assured of Champions League football, however, with Bayer Leverkusen in fifth on 47 points – three shy of Leipzig.

Paderborn are bottom and six points away from a relegation play-off, with Werder Bremen two points above them. Fortuna Dusseldorf must make up four points to Mainz if they are to avoid the play-off.

LIGUE 1

Suspended since: March 13
Suspended until: TBC
Matches played: 27-28 of 38

Rather than set a provisional return date, the Ligue 1 season is on hold "until further notice".

While the league's plan going forward is a little vague, the standings are clearer than in other countries. Paris Saint-Germain are 12 points ahead of second-placed Marseille with a game in hand.

The top two should clinch automatic Champions League qualification if the campaign can continue, while third-placed Rennes have a point advantage over Lille.

At the bottom, Toulouse's miserable season has returned just 13 points. Amiens have 10 points more but are just one place better off and must gain four points on Nimes to reach the relegation play-off, which Saint-Etienne and Dijon are three clear of.

Hancock last week urged top-flight players in England to do their part and doubled down on his comments in an interview on Sunday.

Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville and Gary Lineker have been among the high-profile figures stating it is unfair for footballers to be singled out during the debate over salary reductions.

Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief executive Taylor was shocked by Hancock and insists players are simply demanding clarification on where any money they sacrifice will go.

His comments came after the PFA pointed out the loss of tax contributions that will occur if players agree with the Premier League's proposal for a 30 per cent pay cut.

Taylor told the Telegraph: "I found it astonishing that Matt Hancock could come out like that when he's got his own issues with trying to get the necessary protective health equipment for our NHS workers and didn't have the tests in place either.

"I think if they [the clubs] can't do that [provide details on where the money will go] and explain the position fully then they have every right to expect players to mistrust what is happening."

On whether players were concerned about that point specifically, Taylor added: "Exactly that. They want the complete due diligence. 

"They're not stupid. They've not just got their brains in their feet. They want to know the reasons for it and where it's going."

The majority of sports across the globe have been halted by the outbreak of COVID-19, with football seeing Euro 2020 and the Copa America pushed back to 2021 as a result.

Tebas is part of a working group set up by UEFA to devise solutions for the "resumption and/or conclusion of the current season in a coherent manner".

LaLiga's chief is confident things can be wrapped up by the end of June, though he acknowledged around six weeks of competition would be required.

"The fundamental scenario is that mid or late May is the latest starting date to end on June 30," said Tebas in an interview with El Pais.

"The scenario may also depend on some Champions League games that will be played at the weekend, which could give us some room to start some clubs later, or that we can recover by starting all a little later.

"We are even working with leagues like the Italian one, which has 14 games left, and the Danish one, which has 15 remaining. The decision of UEFA to postpone the European Championship has served us well to try to finish the competitions. 

"We made the calendar calculations even before the European Championship was postponed. It was a stage that we knew could be reached and we are working on various start dates.

"Here you have to work backwards, with what is the last date on which you could play to see the options that may arise.

"When we start playing there will be full medical guarantees, but that no longer depends on us, it will depend on the governments of the countries. If they guarantee that it can be played, it will be played."

Tebas insisted there are no plans to cut down on fixtures and admitted fans could be kept out of games when they resume.

He said: "That will also depend on the governments of each country. You have to think that we are working with 30 different leagues and it will depend on the health authorities if it is played behind closed doors or under what conditions.

"We are not considering any format change for any competition, including the European ones. The mandate that we have is to finish the competitions as they are now. The calendar with which it works is with the competitions in full and in their usual format.

"The only job that concerns me day and night is to finish the competitions."

The Reds are 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League, needing only two more wins to clinch the title, yet the season has been suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Jurgen Klopp's dominant side should have been sealing silverware on Saturday in their match against Crystal Palace but now instead must wait to see if the campaign can be completed at all.

Liverpool supporters might well feel they are cursed, and former goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar agreed last year as he splashed urine on the Anfield goalposts in an attempt to lift an apparent hex.

Such hoodoos are relatively commonplace in sport, though. We take a look at some notable examples.
 

LIVERPOOL (1990-present)

It seemed inconceivable when Liverpool won their 18th title in 1990 – an 11th in 18 seasons – that number 19 would not swiftly follow. But when Reds supporters mocked rivals Manchester United after their eighth success in 1993, with a banner that read, 'Come back when you've won 18', they were made to eat their words.

The Old Trafford club had 20 championships by the time manager Alex Ferguson departed, a 2009 United banner teasing: 'You told us to come back when we've won 18 – we are back'.

Indeed, Liverpool were runners-up to United in 2008-09, as Rafael Benitez infamously went public with criticism of Ferguson. Even when the Scot retired and United slumped in 2013-14, Liverpool collapsed on the home straight and were pipped by Manchester City, who denied them again last season.

This is surely now their year – as long as the campaign does indeed resume.

BOSTON RED SOX (1918-2004)

Liverpool might find some comfort in the knowledge their owner has experience in ending curses for sporting giants.

John W Henry took over the Boston Red Sox in 2002 with the aim of finally ending the Curse of the Bambino, which stemmed from the team's sale of star player Babe Ruth to rivals the New York Yankees some 83 years earlier.

Ruth had featured in three of Boston's five World Series triumphs and went on to win four more with the Yankees. Meanwhile, the Red Sox remarkably did not claim baseball's greatest prize again until 2004.

That miserable run was finally ended under Henry, though, after Boston had overturned a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA (1995-2018)

The city of Boston could at least be comforted by titles for the Patriots, the Celtics or the Bruins. Atlanta's distress crossed several sports in increasingly spectacular fashion.

The Atlanta Braves won the World Series just once in 1995 within a stretch that returned 15 straight division titles. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons lost two Super Bowls, including a record-breaking collapse against Tom Brady's New England Patriots after leading 28-3. Even the University of Georgia ceded a big advantage to lose the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Atlanta United finally provided some respite with MLS Cup glory in 2018, and president Darren Eales told Stats Perform: "It was great to break the curse.

"It's been a long time since 1995 when the Braves won a championship. I'd heard so much in the week up to the game about Atlanta's curse in sport. I didn't get too excited until the referee blew his whistle."
 

DRAKE (2013-2019)

One of the more bizarre apparent curses of recent years related not to a team or a city but to a sole individual: Drake.

The Canadian rapper found an awful knack for backing athletes before big defeats. Serena Williams suffered a huge upset against Roberta Vinci at the US Open, where she had his support, while Anthony Joshua was pictured with Drake prior to his shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.

The Toronto Raptors fan came up with a solution for the 2019 NBA playoffs, however. Drake turned out in Philadelphia 76ers shorts as they dramatically lost to the Raptors, seemingly reversing the curse, before Toronto went on to beat the Golden State Warriors in the Finals.
 

BENFICA (1962-present)

Liverpool's is not the only ongoing 'curse' – and Benfica's is not set to end for another 42 years!

Head coach Bela Guttmann led the Portuguese giants to back-to-back European Cup successes in 1961 and 1962 but then left the club after reportedly asking for a pay rise. It is alleged he declared "not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champion".

So it has proven, as Benfica lost European Cup finals in 1963, 1965, 1968, 1988 and 1990 and then came up short in successive Europa League finals in 2013 and 2014.

Dan Ashworth served as FA technical director until departing after the 2018 World Cup to join Brighton and Hove Albion, where he holds the same job title.

He was involved in talks while at the national governing body that took in discussions about B teams and feeder clubs, but in 2017 said he could not see the shape of the English game "changing anytime soon".

The English Football League (EFL) also took a strong stance against the notion of B teams, at a time when it was suggested an extra tier could be added in a restructuring plan.

However, clubs are facing up to unprecedented hardship because of the COVID-19 crisis, with football suspended and little hope that spectators will be allowed inside stadiums until 2021 at the earliest.

It could mean many clubs are left with crippling debts and others go out of existence, potentially leaving holes to fill in the EFL's competitions, which may create space for B teams of Premier League clubs.

Those teams from the Championship, League One and League Two that survive might welcome the prospect of being propped up by elite clubs, who are fighting to protect their huge broadcast revenue.

Ashworth, quoted widely in the UK media, said: "The sort of things we explored a number of years ago, during my time at the FA, were strategic loan clubs, B teams or partner clubs.

"Maybe, just maybe, things like that come back on the table.

"If there is a shortage of money and everybody has to cut their cloth accordingly then maybe there're ways we can share resources and help one another.

"Ground sharing is one that has been looked at before, artificial surfaces that can be used for concerts and training. You could have women's and men's games in the same venue."

Spurs became the second Premier League team after Newcastle United to make use of the United Kingdom government's furlough scheme, which allows employees to claim 80 per cent of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.

Levy hoped players would follow suit, though Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief executive Gordon Taylor this week said he planned to block a blanket reduction on their salaries.

"The club's operations have effectively ceased, some of our fans will have lost their jobs and most will be worried about their future," Levy said in a letter published on Spurs' website.

"Our sponsors will be concerned about their businesses and our media partners have no certainty when we may play games again or whether we will be allowed to play in front of our fans. In the meantime, the club has an annual cost base running into hundreds of millions of pounds.

"We have seen some of the biggest clubs in the world such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus take steps to reduce their costs. Yesterday [Monday], having already taken steps to reduce costs, we ourselves made the difficult decision – in order to protect jobs – to reduce the remuneration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20 per cent utilising, where appropriate, the government's furlough scheme. We shall continue to review this position.

"We hope the current discussions between the Premier League, PFA and LMA [League Managers Association] will result in players and coaches doing their bit for the football eco system.

"I have no doubt we will get through this crisis but life will take some time to get back to normal. I hope we will never take for granted so many basic things such as getting off the train at Seven Sisters, walking along Tottenham High Road, entering our stadium with our family and friends, and buying a beer and pie ahead of watching Spurs play at home.

"Many families will have lost loved ones, many businesses will have been destroyed, millions of jobs lost and many clubs whether big or small may struggle to exist. It is incumbent on me as chairman to ensure we do everything we can to protect our employees, our fans, our partners, our club for future generations – and equally important – our wider community where we have such an immense sense of responsibility.

"I wish everyone good health, a speedy return to normal life and watching Spurs at home in front of our fans. Stay safe."

Star striker Harry Kane at the weekend refused to rule out the possibility of leaving Tottenham if the team does not show signs of matching his ambition to win trophies.

The England captain has consequently been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Manchester City and Manchester United, as well as Real Madrid.

Levy believes people discussing such stories need to "wake up" to the enormity of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on clubs.

He said: "As recently as 18 March I said: 'We shall all need to work together to ensure the impact of this crisis does not undermine the future stability of the club.'

"The decision by governments around the world to effectively close down economies with unheard of peacetime impacts on civil liberties in order to minimise the terrible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the right one to protect human lives.

"The crushing devastation on industries in many countries, the inter-dependence of international trade and travel in every aspect of our daily life is only now beginning to be felt. Every person on this planet will be affected and in my lifetime I cannot think of something so impactful.

"When I read or hear stories about player transfers this summer like nothing has happened, people need to wake up to the enormity of what is happening around us. With over 786,000 infected, nearly 38,000 deaths and large segments of the world in lockdown we need to realise that football cannot operate in a bubble.

"We may be the eighth largest club in the world by revenue according to the Deloitte survey but all that historical data is totally irrelevant as this virus has no boundaries."

A total of 996 players and staff were tested for COVID-19 across Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with the positive results coming from different clubs.

They will now be required to self-isolate for a seven-day period.

The findings are in addition to the six who were found to have contracted the virus in the first round of testing, which covered 748 people, on May 17-18.

A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League can today confirm that on Tuesday May 19, Thursday May 21 and Friday May 22, 996 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19. Of these, two have tested positive from two clubs.

"Players or club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate for a period of seven days.

"For the second round of testing, the number of tests available to each club was increased from 40 to 50.

"Previously, 748 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19 on May 17-18, with six testing positive from three clubs.

"The six who tested positive in the first round of testing are not included in the figures for May 19-22, as they are still within their seven-day self-isolation period.

"The Premier League is providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and transparency. No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided by the League and results will be made public after each round of testing."

Burnley assistant Ian Woan and Watford defender Adrian Mariappa were confirmed to be among the six individuals to test positive in the first batch.

The Premier League has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Teams have returned to training – though no contact is permitted – and the target is for the competition to get back under way on June 12, though Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has acknowledged the date is flexible.

Talks have been held over whether clubs will be able to use their own stadiums for games, or whether neutral grounds will be required, and some players have declined to return to training due to COVID-19 concerns.

There are nine full rounds of fixtures to be played, while four teams have an extra game in hand.

Earlier on Tuesday, following discussions during a video conference convened by UEFA, it was announced Euro 2020 would be postponed by 12 months to account for the impact of the coronavirus pandemic upon the sporting calendar.

That theoretically freed up room for remaining club commitments to be seen through by the recognised end of the season - June 30 being the date when out-of-contract players would normally cease to be employed by their clubs.

European football is on a virtual continent-wide shutdown as part of efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, with the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and LaLiga on hold until the start of April and Ligue 1 indefinitely.

Last week, UEFA postponed its forthcoming Champions League and Europa League ties, with both competitions in the midst of their last-16 phases.

A release signed by the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, European Club Association chairman Andrea Agnelli, European Leagues president Lars-Christer Olsson and FIFPro Europe president Bobby Barnes specified "a commitment to complete all domestic and European club competitions by the end of the current sporting season, i.e. 30 June 2020 at the latest, should the situation improve and resuming playing be appropriate and prudent enough".

The statement continued by outlining flexibility in terms of scheduling domestic matches in midweek slots and UEFA club competition fixtures at weekends, and added "possible adaptations" to the qualifying rounds of the 2020-21 Champions League and Europa League were possible if the June 30 target date is not met.

Reports earlier on Tuesday floated June 24 and 27 as potential respective slots for the Europa League and Champions League finals.

A working group comprised of UEFA, league and club representatives will now be established to find solutions "allowing for the resumption and/or conclusion of the current season in a coherent manner".

A second working group will be established at a later date to assess the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis and offset any adverse consequences.

Any completion of club commitments must factor in the scheduled June international break, when UEFA intends to stage qualification play-offs for what is now Euro 2021.

The Women's Euro 2021, the 2021 European Under-21 Championship and the 2021 Nations League finals will all be rescheduled as a result of the men's European Championship moving to July 11 to June 11 of that next year, although UEFA has not confirmed new dates for those affected tournaments at this stage.

The 2019-20 season has been suspended indefinitely across most of Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Euro 2020 also pushed back to 2021.

While leagues are hoping to restart between the end of April and the beginning of June, there is as yet no definite return date and Ceferin has conceded it may be impossible to finish the season at all.

In that case, UEFA's president has suggested the campaign would have to be considered as null and void.

"If we don't succeed in restarting, the season will probably be lost," Ceferin told Italian publication La Repubblica.

"There is a plan A, B and C. The three options are to start again in mid-May, in June or at the end of June.

"There is also the possibility of starting again at the beginning of the next [season], starting the following one later. We will see the best solution for leagues and clubs."

Some matches on the continent, including Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, were played behind closed doors earlier this month, and Ceferin stated playing games without fans in attendance may be the only solution in order to complete the season.

"It's hard for me to imagine all the matches behind closed doors, but we still don't know whether we'll resume, with or without spectators," he said.

"If there was no alternative, it would be better to finish the championships."

The Champions League and Europa League have already felt the effects of the outbreak and speculation on Thursday suggested an immediate suspension of both competitions was imminent, with similar action having already been taken in domestic competitions across the continent.

However, European football's governing body issued a statement to announce its conference, where the status of Euro 2020 will also be on the agenda.

The statement read: "In the light of the ongoing developments in the spread of COVID-19 across Europe and the changing analysis of the World Health Organisation, UEFA has today [Thursday] invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to attend meetings by video conference on Tuesday, March 17 to discuss European football's response to the outbreak.

"Discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including UEFA Euro 2020."

Despite delaying its decision over a course of action for senior football, UEFA later announced all matches in its youth tournaments between March 14 and April 14 are postponed.

"This is a general precautionary measure, taken to avoid the possibility of players – many of whom would be minors – being stranded away from their families in the event of host governments declaring lockdowns or quarantines," a separate statement read.

Two Champions League matches this week – Valencia v Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain v Borussia Dortmund – took place behind closed doors, while Manchester United's Europa League visit to Austrian club LASK and the games between Eintracht Frankfurt and Basel, and Olympiacos and Wolves will also be staged without supporters.

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has tested positive for COVID-19, while Real Madrid have imposed a quarantine on their squad after a player from the club's basketball team similarly contracted the virus.

As such, Madrid's Champions League last-16 trip to Manchester City next week and Juventus' game with Lyon – both scheduled on the same day as UEFA's video conference – appear impossible to stage.

Madrid's move to self-quarantine persuaded LaLiga to suspend its next two rounds of fixtures, while no games in Serie A will take place until April 3.

Sevilla's Europa League match against Roma and Inter's clash with Getafe have already been postponed.

All matches in Ligue 1 will take place in empty stadia until next month, while the decisions on whether Bundesliga matches can take place with fans present are been taken on a case-by-case basis.

In France and Spain, the finals of the Coupe de France and the Copa del Rey have both been postponed.

The Premier League is yet to take any division-wide action, although City's planned game against Arsenal this week was postponed as a precaution after personnel from the London club came into contact with Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Euro 2020 is due to be staged across 12 European cities in June and July, with the tournament kicking off in Rome. Bosnia-Herzegovina have asked UEFA to postpone their qualification play-off match against Northern Ireland because quarantine measures in the country would compromise which players they can select.

Declared a pandemic on Wednesday, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday there had been 124,518 confirmed coronavirus cases and 4,607 deaths.

The deadline was put forward as part of the governing body's guidelines on eligibility principles for 2020-21 UEFA club competitions.

Following a meeting of its executive committee last week, UEFA strongly recommended all leagues on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic be completed where possible.

It proposed top divisions could be seen out with a different format, or, where resumption is not feasible, national associations could decide places for next season's continental competitions "on sporting merit".

UEFA expects all leagues to have a plan in place for how they will proceed ahead of the next executive committee meeting on May 27.

The organisation's guidelines read: "National associations and/or leagues should be in a position to communicate to UEFA by May 25, 2020 the planned restart of their domestic competitions including the date of restart and the relevant competition format.

"In the event that a domestic competition is to be prematurely terminated for legitimate reasons in accordance with [conditions set out by the executive committee], UEFA would require the national association to explain by May 25, 2020 … the special circumstances justifying such premature termination and to select clubs for UEFA club competitions 2020-21 on the basis of sporting merit in the 2019-20 domestic competitions."

Bundesliga clubs have returned to training and could be back on the pitch from May 9, while Serie A teams are expected to be able to practice together the following week.

The situation remains unclear in the Premier League, LaLiga and Ligue 1.

After professional sports were banned in the Netherlands until September 1, the Eredivisie announced the cancellation of its 2019-20 season last week.

No champions were declared and there was no promotion or relegation, with European qualification determined by the table when the league was suspended.

KNVB Beker finalists Utrecht consequently missed out on a place in the Europa League qualifiers and stated they intended to legally challenge the ruling.

On Monday, the COVID-19 alert level in the UK was raised to a four, meaning transmission of the virus is "high or exponentially rising", with prime minister Boris Johnson set to outline fresh measures to halt the increase in cases.

Plans to bring supporters back into stadia were placed under review earlier this month and pilot events were restricted to 1,000 people in attendance.

However, government minister Michael Gove confirmed to BBC Breakfast on Tuesday that pilot schemes were now on hold, as are plans for fans to return in staged phases, representing a major blow to a struggling sports sector.

"We were looking at a staged programme of more people returning – it wasn't going to be the case that we were going to have stadiums thronged with fans," Gove said.

"We're looking at how we can, for the moment, pause that programme, but what we do want to do is to make sure that, as and when circumstances allow, get more people back.

"The virus is less likely to spread outdoors than indoors but again it's in the nature of major sporting events that there's a lot of mingling."

Sport has been taking place mainly behind closed doors in the UK since it returned following a full lockdown in March.

Approximately 300 spectators were granted access to the World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible in Sheffield, while a friendly between Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea in August saw 2,500 fans allowed into the Amex Stadium.

But Gove said the decision has been taken in part due to the criticism the government received for allowing full attendances to sporting events in March, when COVID-19 was posing a growing threat.

The decision to allow the Champions League last-16 match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid to go ahead brought scrutiny with Liverpool council probing the impact it had on the spread of the disease, while there is pressure to look into whether the Cheltenham Festival should have been permitted to proceed at full capacity.

"People look back now at the beginning of the pandemic at some of the major sporting events then and ask the question why were they allowed to go ahead," added Gove.

"What we must do is look at sporting events now with caution but we also recognise that sport is a vital part of this nation and we're looking at everything we can do to support our athletes, our great clubs, through what will be a challenging time."

The latest development comes at a time where the sports industry continues to count the cost of the global pandemic.

Over 100 leaders from sports bodies have requested emergency funding in a letter to the prime minister.

Sport England has handed out £200million for emergency cases, but with clubs continuing to lose money many have said that does not go far enough.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters told the BBC earlier this month that teams were looking at losing £700m if fans are not allowed back into grounds during the 2020-21 campaign, saying it was "absolutely critical" they were brought back.

Strict guidelines set out by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Saturday must be adhered to, but professional sports will again be able to take place from June 1.

The Premier League has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic but is provisionally scheduled to restart on June 17.

Government minister Oliver Dowden said: "The wait is over. Live British sport will shortly be back on in safe and carefully controlled environments.

"This guidance provides the safe framework for sports to resume competitions behind closed doors.

"It is now up to individual sports to confirm they can meet these protocols and decide when it's right for them to restart.

"This is a significant moment for British sport. By working with clinicians every step of the way, we are creating the safest possible environments for everyone involved."

Premier League clubs were this week granted permission to return to contact training, and preparations are likely to continue gearing up towards a restart after a three-month hiatus.

All of the remaining 92 fixtures are due to be broadcast nationally, though police have requested at least six – including the game in which Liverpool can clinch the title – be played at neutral venues.

There have been three rounds of coronavirus testing at top-flight clubs in the past fortnight, with 12 of the 2,752 tests returning positive results.

Premier League chief Masters was encouraged by the decision.

He said: "The Premier League welcomes the government's announcement today [Saturday]. All major sports, including the Premier League, have been working together with the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to produce this stage three protocol.

"We could not have reached this point without the full support of the government, especially DCMS, Public Health England and the chief medical officer's team.

"We have provisionally planned to restart the Premier League on June 17, but there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

"This includes consulting with our clubs, players and managers - along with all our other stakeholders - as the health and welfare of our participants and supporters is our priority.

"If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019-20 season in just over two weeks' time."

The campaign has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought sport to a standstill around the world.

It remains unclear when, and if, the Premier League campaign will resume, but Walker is hoping the season can get back underway.

"Football has to take a back step for now because that is the least important thing on everyone's mind in the football world," the right-back said.

"The health of family members and other people's family members is the most important.

"But, I hope, and I am sure everybody else hopes, that football will come back and we will be able to finish off the season, but if it is not a possibility, then everyone does understand that people's health is more important than a game of sport."

Walker discussed how City – who were second to Liverpool in the Premier League when the season was stopped – were keeping up team spirit using group chats.

But the 29-year-old revealed manager Pep Guardiola, who donated €1million to the coronavirus fight in Spain, was not in the players' chat.

"Obviously Pep is not in the group chat! I dropped him a text message last night saying hope you are OK, and I hope the family is well and fair play for donating the amount of money that you have donated," Walker said.

"That says a lot about him as a person. Put football aside, that has come from his heart and it is something that should definitely be recognised."