A Scottish Sun report has suggested that the second leg of Rangers vs Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of the Europa League, could take place in September.
The German club won the first meeting between the two sides 3-1 at Ibrox on 12 March, courtesy of goals from Kai Havertz, Charles Aranguiz and Leon Bailey.
The fixture was played out in front of just over 47,000 in Govan, but less than 24 hours later, UEFA suspended all fixtures in measures designed to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.
The majority of the sporting world has since followed suit, and according to the report, it could be six months before the second leg is played.
It’s suggested that the group stages of the 2020/21 Champions and Europa League will be pushed back to late October, allowing the knockout stages of the current campaign and the qualifiers for next season to be carried out the previous month.
Verdict
Speculation is rife right now with footballing authorities in an unenviable position amid unprecedented times.
UEFA showed their commitment to helping member nations complete their domestic leagues by postponing Euro 2020 by a year, but with so much still to be learned about the Covid-19 outbreak, it’s still uncertain when it will be safe for football to return.
The concept of waiting six months between legs of a knockout European tie is bizarre, and the quick turnaround suggested here between seasons would present considerable logistical challenges.
However, it’s abundantly clear that every party is going to need to show flexibility in the months ahead.
Public health takes priority right now, but the football will return at some stage and if this plan comes to fruition, it looks set to be a hectic autumn.
