© Press release
UEFA has distributed crown guidelines and health rules to 28 teams preparing for the Champions League and Europa League playoffs. Both tournaments will continue this week after a five-month crown break.
In both competitions, the winner will be sought in the “final eight” tournament format for empty stands in Portugal and Germany. The Champions League final will take place in Lisbon on 23 August, and the Europa League final will take place two days later in Cologne.
– UEFA expects all parties to do their utmost to maintain hygiene, both in a controlled match environment and in their private lives, the UEFA protocol states.
– Failure to comply with these standards could lead to serious consequences for international matches.
Strict practices for final tournaments
The players and staff of the teams will be tested two or three days before they travel from their home country to the final tournament. They will be retested on site the day before each match. UEFA will ensure that the test results are completed at least six hours before the initial whistle.
Team players have been instructed to wear a face shield in public places while traveling. Clubs are also encouraged to arrange charter flights for their teams.
Strict discipline is also followed in team accommodation to prevent infections. Among other things, meals must be arranged in private premises and the hotel staff must not come into contact with team members, dishes or food for more than is necessary.
Teams are not allowed to leave the hotel except at pre-arranged times and “organized conditions.” In addition, they must not be in contact with anyone outside the group.
New rules for next season’s tournaments
UEFA also released new regulations for the 2020-2021 Champions League and Europa League tournaments. The new rules were approved by UEFA’s board yesterday on Tuesday and will take effect in next season’s matches. The new rules will therefore not affect matches at the end of the season.
The home team must arrange an alternative venue on neutral ground if the opposing team is unable to travel to and from the venue due to home team restrictions. If the home team is unable to arrange an alternative venue, it will be penalized for losing the match.
If restrictions imposed by the government of either country prevent the match from being played at the last minute, the team of that country will lose the match.
If a team is diagnosed with at least 10 corona infections, they must play the match if they have at least 13 players (including one goalkeeper) available on their A-list. If a team has less than 13 available players, they may add players who were not originally selected to the team’s Champions League or European League. If a team still doesn’t get 13 players in the pile, it loses by handing over the match.
If the referee judging the match is infected with a corona infection and is unable to judge the match, the referee who is a national of the home team may, with exceptional permission, judge the match.
Also read: Are forced winnings seen in Europel qualifiers? – How the UEFA rule affects Finnish clubs