The English Premier League will follow Belgium and cancel the rest of its 2019-20 season feels Udinese club’s sporting director Pierpaolo Marino. The Jupiler Pro League, the top-tier football league in Belgium, was called for the remaining of the season due to the coronavirus outbreak and league leaders Club Brugge were declared the champions. And according to the Serie A club’s sporting director, the Premier League could do the same and cancel the rest of the 2019-20 season while also declaring Liverpool the winners. The Premier League had earlier suspended the season for an indefinite period due to COVID-19 pandemic and had mentioned that the season will only resume and when it is right and appropriate. Premier League 2019–20 Suspended for Indefinite Period Due to Coronavirus Pandemic, to Resume Only When ‘It Is Safe & Appropriate’.

Liverpool were 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League 2019-20 points table and needed just six points to seal the premiership when the EPL was suspended in March due to the rapid spread of coronavirus in the UK. “The Premier League will not resume in May and that 2019-20 season will only return when it’s safe and appropriate,” the league had said in a statement earlier.

But while most major leagues have been suspended and postponed to protect the players as well as the fans, Belgian Pro League, last week, decided to cancel the rest of the season and award the league title to Club Brugge, who were leading the points table when the season was suspended.

“The Belgian Federation has already sanctioned the end of their league, despite the threats of sanctions from UEFA,” Marino was quoted by Goal as telling Italian outlet Sportitalia. “In England, the Premier League is about to release a similar statement, because the situation there is becoming very, very serious. I frankly just hope we can enjoy football again after the coronavirus.”

Mariano’s club Udinese is owned by Giampaolo Pozzo, who is the father of Watford co-owner Gino. "It doesn’t matter how long it takes, we need to get out of this danger zone. I am worried for the next seasons, not the old one,” he further said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 08, 2020 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).