If Serie A is stopped again because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Italian football season will end without a champion.
On Monday the Italian federation approved plans for a playoff or the use of an algorithm if the regular season cannot be completed. Series A clubs decided to ask for no champions or relegations on Friday.
A majority vote approved the most recent proposals proposed by FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. Three delegates from Serie A did not participate in the vote.
“We’ve shown unity here today, football won. From the very beginning, we accepted the importance of not remaining outside the international scene. Four of us wanted to finish our seasons among the big five,” Gravina said.
Since March 9, Series A has been suspended. It is expected to start on June 20 and end on August 2.
The remaining 12 rounds, plus four matches which were postponed in the 25th round.
Juventus, who bid for a ninth straight Series A win, has a one-point advantage over Lazio. Third-placed Inter Milan is nine points behind Juventus but they have played less than one match.
The playoff format has yet to be determined, including the number of teams involved.
If matches can not be held due to time constraints or a worsening pandemic, playoffs are the preferred option to determine the final standings. If an algorithm is needed, there will be no champion unless the point where the season is stopped again is mathematically certain.
The tally of each team’s final points added to the current standings will be based on their average points from home and away matches, multiplied by the number of matches leftover from home and away.
The meeting did not answer another disturbing issue about what happens to clubs if any players test positive.
As things stand, new club cases will cause the entire squad to be quarantined for 14 days, seriously undermining the championship and raising the risk that it might not be done.
