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Part of the European leagues are already beginning to plan the extension of the season, which was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. English Premier League clubs continue to hold a united opinion that the season must be completed, but it is clear that it will require unconventional solutions. It is already clear that the rescheduled matches would take place in empty stadiums. What's more, we may see empty stands for the entire next season as well. FIFA is also considering allowing five substitutions during matches, instead of the usual three.
Gordon Taylor, the executive director of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) in England, mentioned in an interview with BBC radio that Premier League matches after the COVID-19 pandemic could be shorter than usual. "We don't know how everything will unfold going forward, but we have heard various proposals on how to reduce various risks during matches. It is being considered to increase the number of substitutions or even shorten the halves and not play the full 45 minutes."
"We are also discussing playing in neutral stadiums and many other aspects. We want to wait a bit and properly assess everything, and then we will invite both coaches and players to join the discussion," Taylor said. The PFA director also doubts that the Premier League could resume earlier than mid-June. "Even if the situation steadily improves, I don't think we can expect the Premier League to return earlier than mid-June," Taylor added.
