Champions League final should be played in December, says Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas
Former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has called for a change to the European football calendar to resolve the issues caused by the coronavirus crisis.
With LaLiga currently suspended until further notice and no indication as to when football could resume amid the shutdown, many have suggested writing off the season altogether.
But Casillas, who will be a candidate in the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) elections later this year, wrote on Twitter: "How do you solve the [problem with] dates in European football? Do you annul the season? Do you take the competition to a calendar year?
"That is, if everything is good again in three to four months, play the rest of the season, with the cup, CL (Champions League) and EL (Europa League) finals in December. The next World Cup is in November 2022. Adjustments."
But LaLiga president Javier Tebas was quick to quash Casillas' proposal on Twitter.
Cómo solucionas las fechas de fútbol europeo? Anulas temporada? Llevas la competición a año natural? Es decir, si todo vuelve a estar bien en 3-4 meses, jugar lo que resta y poner finales coperas y de CL y EL en diciembre. El próximo @FIFAWorldCup es en NOV de 2022. Ajustes. 🧐
— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas)
"New dates have already been mentioned which will allow us to finish the season," he wrote.
Ya se han han señalado nuevas fechas que nos van a permitir terminar la temporada. Retrasar el final y empezar con año natural, supone perder una temporada,¿qué pasaría con los contratos de tv, de los jugadores, firmados por varias temporadas, que suponen miles de millones de €? https://t.co/FhsRN5QmWs
— Javier Tebas Medrano (@Tebasjavier)
"Delaying the end and starting with a natural year, that means losing a season. What would happen to the TV contracts, the players' contracts, signed for several seasons, which amount to billions of €?"