Rangers game on as talks held over coronavirus in football

UEFA has called an emergency meeting next Tuesday to discuss whether European football can continue to be played amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Rangers face Bayern Leverkusen in the last 16 of the Europa League, with the first leg at Ibrox tonight, while Scotland have a Euro 2020 qualifier with Israel in a fortnight.

Reports from Spain said the Champions League and Europa League could be immediately suspended, following the news that Real Madrid’s players had been quarantined as a precautionary measure after a member of the club’s basketball team tested positive for coronavirus.

#RangersFC can confirm that tonight’s @EuropaLeague match against @bayer04_en will go ahead as planned in front of our Ibrox crowd.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as everyone within the football community and beyond deals with this ever changing situation. https://t.co/HTcr8VgLYs
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) March 12, 2020

That followed news on Wednesday night that Juventus’ Daniele Rugani had tested positive for Covid-19 and that isolation procedures were being put in place for other squad members who may have had contact.

A statement from UEFA on Thursday afternoon: “UEFA has today invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to attend meetings by video conference on Tuesday to discuss European football’s response to the outbreak.

“Discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including UEFA EURO 2020. Further communication will be made following those meetings.”