All European competition matches scheduled for next week have been postponed by UEFA, the organization that governs European football, it announced this Friday.
"In view of the spread of COVID-19 in Europe and the decisions taken by different governments on the matter, all European club competition matches scheduled for next week are postponed," says the UEFA statement.
Until today, only the Champions League matches scheduled for March 17, Manchester City-Real Madrid and Juventus-Lyon, were suspended. Now the matches scheduled for March 18, Barcelona-Naples and Bayern Munich-Chelsea, are also postponed.
The postponement affects the pending second leg matches of the Champions League Round of 16, which were scheduled to take place on March 17 and 18; all second leg matches of the Europa League Round of 16 on March 19; and the UEFA Youth League quarter-final matches on March 17 and 18.
"Decisions on the dates when these matches will be played will be communicated in due course," the statement said.
As a result of the postponement of the matches, UEFA explains that the quarter-final draws scheduled to take place on March 20 will also be postponed.
UEFA has invited its 55 member federations, the European Club Association, the European Leagues, and the FIFPro union to a video conference to be held on Tuesday, March 17, "to discuss the response of European football to the challenge," the statement said.