Since the coronavirus pandemic halted football in March, the European football governing body has been brainstorming on ways the football governing body can bring the UEFA Champions League and other European competitions to a logical conclusion.
Before the coronavirus pandemic halted football, some clubs, including Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid, have already played the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. While some were yet to play the second leg of the knockout stage.
Recently, it was all over the news that UEFA is considering taking all the clubs that are still in the competition to a particular venue in Europe where a mini-tournament will be staged in order to complete the remaining matches. The idea will enable UEFA to have all the teams in one controlled environment where their security and health safety will be guaranteed.
Though no logical conclusion has been reached on that matter, some cities in Spain and Portugal have been thrown up to be likely destination for the UEFA Champions League mini-tournament.
Well, as UEFA is busy brainstorming on a possible way forward, the president of Atletico Madrid Enrique Cerezo, has given his own suggestion which sounds easier and cheaper than what UEFA have been proposing. Cerezo said since Atletico Madrid knocked out the defending champions of the tournament, Liverpool football club, the trophy should be given to Madrid.
Hypothetically, Atletico Madrid are Champions of the Champions League
The followers of Champions League were stunned when Atletico Madrid beat the current Premier League table-toppers 2-3 in Anfield to dump them out of the competition 2-4 on aggregate on March 11, 2020.
“In the hypothetical case that the Champions League was not played for the coronavirus, then the champion [should be] the one who beat the champion,.” Enrique Cerezo told Mundo Deportivo.
“There are still a few knockout games left, the quarter-finals, the semis and the final. We understand that UEFA tries to centralise all these matches in one city, there was talk of Spain, Portugal… nothing is known yet.
“There are 11 games left, plus the final phase of the Champions League, which can be four games. I imagine that the government is waiting to see how the pandemic evolves and will take the decision it considers.”
Atletico Madrid has never won the UEFA Champions League in the history of the club. They have come close to achieving the feat of breaking their Champions League jinx in two occasions – 2013-2014 season and 2015-2016 season. This season is looking like the season coach Diego Simeone and his boys will break that jinx if UEFA finally gets the championship back on track.
