Agnelli: Existential threat to European football

Rome (AP) - The President of the European Football Club Association (ECA), Andrea Agnelli, sees an "existential threat" to European football from the coronavirus pandemic.

"Because football is suspended, so is our revenue, which we depend on to pay our players, staff, and other operational costs. Nobody is immune and timing is critical," Agnelli wrote in a letter to ECA Members from whom the Italian news agency Ansa quoted.

The president of Italian record champions Juventus Turin said that there are two clear goals for the ECA: on the one hand, to define a "realistic strategy" in order to resume game play at national and European level and to promote the health of the public and players, and on the other, to help clubs manage their balance sheets in this difficult phase.

Agnelli's view that the postponement of the European Championship and the Champions League and Europa League finals are "only a beginning". For example, a possible new calendar model is already being discussed at the Uefa level.

Gazzetta dello Sport report (Italian)