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• Coronavirus: FIFA recommends postponing June internationals

  FIFA's COVID-19 working group has recommended the postponement of all international matches due to be played in the June window.

  The working group, which the world game's governing body recently established to address the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, met for the first time via conference call on Friday.

  They made a series of recommendations to the Bureau of the FIFA Council including the postponement of all men's and women's international fixtures for June.

  All measures received unanimous agreement from the panel, including setting up "bilateral discussions with confederations concerning 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers" with the aim of finalising "a revised match schedule pending health and safety developments".

  "FIFA would like to thank the positive contributions and cooperation of all Confederations' representatives and highlight the spirit of unity, solidarity and mutual understanding which culminated in the adoption of these decisions," read the organisation's statement.

  "FIFA also reiterates that health must always be the first priority and the main criteria in any decision-making process, especially in these challenging times."

  Friendlies scheduled for June include Spain taking on Portugal, Germany travelling to Switzerland and England hosting Romania.

  Copa America and Euro 2020, both due to start later that month, have already been postponed for one year.

• Coronavirus: FFF delays call on leagues until after containment measures

  The French Football Federation (FFF) will delay any decision over the outcome of its leagues until containment measures in the country have been lifted.

  With the coronavirus pandemic having put sport on lockdown across the globe, football in France is on an indefinite hiatus.

  The FFF ruled out voiding the campaign, insisting that a season without promotion or relegation would defy "sporting logic".

  In a statement released on Friday, the FFF identified several criteria that would factor into its decision over how and when to conclude the 2019-20 season.

  "A resumption of competitions would not mean playing all the days that remain to be played to go to the end of the championships," it read.

  "It is out of the question to impose an unrealistic pace of recovery, depending on the level of the championships, to make them go to completion.

  "Partial completion of the season will be considered.

  "The end date of the championships will logically depend on the level of competition."

  The FFF confirmed that regional competitions must end by June 30, and added that the €86million budget allocated to amateur football will be maintained.

• Flick 2023: The games that convinced Bayern Munich to appoint him permanently

  Hansi Flick has done enough to convince Bayern Munich to make him their permanent head coach, with the club confirming on Friday he had signed a contract until 2023.

  A former assistant to Germany coach Joachim Low, Flick steadied the ship in the wake of Niko Kovac's sacking and has gone on to gain the second-best points-per-game record in Bundesliga history at 2.47 – only Pep Guardiola's 2.52 is better.

  Bayern have scored 67 goals in their 21 games in all competitions since he took the helm and were on a 15-game unbeaten run when the coronavirus outbreak brought the majority of football in Europe to a halt.

  We take a look at the games that may well have convinced Flick's superiors to keep him in the top job for the next three years.

   

  November 9, 2019 - Bayern Munich 4-0 Borussia Dortmund

  After overseeing a 2-0 Champions League win over Olympiacos in his first game at the helm, Flick's first taste of Bundesliga action came in Der Klassiker against Dortmund.

  Despite the change of coach, Robert Lewandowski continued his fine scoring streak by taking his Bundesliga tally to 16 with a double – one goal either side of an effort from Serge Gnabry early in the second half.

  An own goal from former Bayern defender Mats Hummels capped a resounding victory.

  Lewandowski said: "Hansi Flick did a great job in just a few days to set us up tactically very well. The players believed directly in him and his words, he has breathed a new life into us."

  During the international break that was followed it was confirmed Flick would stay on until at least Christmas.

   

  December 11, 2019 – Bayern Munich 3-1 Tottenham

  Flick went on to rack up four straight wins to start his tenure, but back-to-back defeats to Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach left Bayern seventh in the Bundesliga and seven points off top.

  They quickly got back on track with a 3-1 win over Tottenham in a Champions League group-stage clash at the Allianz Arena.

  Kingsley Coman scored the opener but was forced off in the 27th minute with a knee injury that kept him out for two months.

  Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho made sure of the win after Ryan Sessegnon's equaliser, with Lewandowski remaining an unused substitute as Bayern reached the last 16 with maximum points.

   

  February 1, 2020 – Mainz 1-3 Bayern Munich

  Bayern confirmed Flick would see out the campaign during the mid-season break and this victory over Mainz made it seven straight successes in all competitions.

  The reigning Bundesliga champions effectively put the game to bed within 26 minutes – Lewandowski, Muller and Thiago Alcantara scoring during a rampant first-half showing.

  Most importantly, though, it sent the Bavarian giants to the top of the table and there has been no moving them since.

   

  February 25, 2020 – Chelsea 0-3 Bayern Munich

  A last-16 tie with Chelsea in the Champions League looked sure to provide plenty of entertainment and the first leg at Stamford Bridge was tightly poised at half-time.

  Gnabry struck twice in the space of three minutes early in the second half to break the game open and Lewandowski's instinctive finish in the closing stages ensured Bayern left west London with a healthy aggregate lead.

  The result carried even more weight given that it was the first time the teams had met in Europe's premier club competition since Chelsea defeated Bayern in the final at the Allianz Arena in 2012.

   

  February 29, 2020 – Hoffenheim 0-6 Bayern Munich

  Lewandowski suffered a broken tibia in his left leg against Chelsea and was consequently ruled out for approximately one month.

  The Poland international had scored 39 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions for Bayern in 2019-20, but his team-mates stepped up to the mark in their first game without him.

  In a match that was overshadowed by demonstrations against Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp that forced a stoppage in play, Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich and Joshua Zirkzee – who was making his first Bundesliga start – struck inside the opening 15 minutes and Coutinho made it 4-0 by half-time.

  Coutinho doubled his tally early in the second half and Leon Goretzka rounded off a triumph that sent out a message to Bayern's title rivals.