The newly renamed BBVA Stadium. Photo courtesy of BBVA
In the span of a week, "the world's game" went from business as usual, while keeping a close eye on the Coronavirus situation, to most leagues stopping play altogether. The powers that be now look to solutions for some of the world's top competitions like the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League.
UPDATE:Both the UEFA EURO (European Championship) and CONMEBOL Copa America (South American Championship), the two most renowned international tournaments after the FIFA World Cup, announced the postponement of their 2020 editions on Tuesday. Both tournaments will now be played in the Summer of 2021.
ICYMI: UEFA announced on Tuesday that #EURO2020 would be postponed by one year. It is proposed the tournament will… https://t.co/1tFk9a3lGf— UEFA (@UEFA) 1584519294.0
Debido a la evolución mundial del Coronavirus y con el objetivo de salvaguardar la salud del fútbol sudamericano,… https://t.co/kHvrJgqBKJ— Copa América (@Copa América) 1584453836.0
Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) also annnounced the suspension of it's international competitons, most importantly the Men's Olympic Qualifying tournament in late March. No announcement has been made yet as to what the fate will be for the Concacaf Nations League, the semifinals of which are scheduled to take place this June in Houston.
Here is the updates on the status of club football:
UEFA Champions League / Europa League
Following the quarantine imposed on players of Juventus and Real Madrid, the following #UCL matches will not take p… https://t.co/Bp0KIfd7rd— UEFA (@UEFA) 1584029574.0
The UEFA Champions League and Europa League are suspended for the moment after due in big part to the inability of Italian teams to take part in the Round of 16 stage of either tournament. Some matches had already taken place with no spectators but the implementation of a nationwide quarantine in Italy and, subsequently, Spain have complicated the tournament to continue.
Update: UEFA hosted a videoconference with Presidents and General Secretaries of the 55 national associations, representatives of the European Club Association, European Leagues and FIFPro Europe on Tuesday to discuss the rest of the season.
The decision to postpone EURO 2020, and the colaboration for Copa America to do the same, was made to clear the schedule during the summer for club competitions. Now it's a wait and see but there is optimism to resume play as early as April and finish in late June or July.
CONMEBOL Libertadores / Copa Sudamericana
🏆 The #Libertadores is suspended until at least May 5th. 📌 More information (en español): https://t.co/nvtKgmBYQK https://t.co/YBXshkbMPH— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@CONMEBOL Libertadores) 1584578278.0
South America's club championships are on hold for the time being and will also benefit from the Copa America suspension to have a clear schedule this summer.
English Premier League
The FA, Premier League, EFL and women’s professional game, together with the PFA and LMA are committed to finding w… https://t.co/YV3V1v7i32— Premier League (@Premier League) 1584622800.0
The Premier League went from expecting to play the weekend schedule to doing a 180 and announcing the suspension of the league after the news broke of Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta testing positive for Coronavirus.
Spain's La Liga
Official statement. LaLiga confirms suspension of the competition for Matchdays 28 and 29. 📝… https://t.co/SwtKi6B9CX— LaLiga English (@LaLiga English) 1584012230.0
German Bundesliga
DFL Ordinary Assembly suspends further Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches. For now, this affects Matchday 27 in bo… https://t.co/vcGUTiJ1UY— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga English) 1584378743.0
Italian Serie A
#SerieATIM is officially suspended. We're taking a break, but we can't wait to be back. #WeAreCalcio https://t.co/xhQY33g6gV— Lega Serie A (@Lega Serie A) 1583917730.0
French Ligue 1
"This is vital for the future of the clubs and French football." @LFPfr president Nathalie Boy de la Tour affirmed… https://t.co/Zswzlo9I1O— Ligue1 English (@Ligue1 English) 1584534669.0
Ligue 1 has set April 15th as a target date for the best case scenario to comeback from the Coronavirus hiatus. The date takes into account two weeks of training before the league resumes.
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer Statement on CDC Recommendation https://t.co/XRXGfUEtz0— Major League Soccer (@Major League Soccer) 1584630121.0
National Women's Soccer League
Update on the start of the #NWSL season: https://t.co/Uf45KweIio— NWSL (@NWSL) 1584736259.0
Liga MX / Ascenso MX/ MX Femenil
Mensaje de la Presidencia Ejecutiva de la LIGA MX / ASCENSO MX: https://t.co/4pOOTzeFBb https://t.co/WyPre2Z81j— LIGA BBVA MX (@LIGA BBVA MX) 1584760632.0
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When the Texans take the field against KC this Saturday, there's a lot more on the line than just playoff seating. The Texans have several things to prove this week against the NFL's elite.
For instance, the Texans haven't beaten a quality team on the road all season, with communication issues on the offensive line often causing problems. If Houston wants to be a legit contender, they have to show they can play with the big boys on the road.
Speaking of which, despite already locking up their division, the Texans typically don't crack the Top 10 in power rankings. They are very much viewed as a team that's good enough to win a weak division, and nothing more.
A win over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs would make a statement. That would mean the Texans would have beaten both Mahomes and MVP favorite Josh Allen in the same season.
And let's face it, these are the types of teams the Texans will have to defeat in the postseason if they want to contend for a conference championship.
*Don't miss the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap breaks it all down!
Game Preview: Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Texans passing offense
C.J. Stroud continues to impress with his ability to make big plays, particularly on scramble drills and broken plays. However, consistent pressure has been an issue, with Stroud taking four sacks last week against the Dolphins. This marks the seventh time this season he’s been sacked four or more times. Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones, known for his elite disruptive ability, could create significant problems.
Texans run game
Running back Joe Mixon started the season strong, rushing for over 100 yards in five of his first six games. However, his recent performances have been less effective, with fewer than 47 rushing yards in three of his last five outings. Mixon was held to just 26 yards on the ground against the Dolphins, which raises questions about his ability to bounce back against a Chiefs defense that has been dominant lately.
Chiefs defense
Kansas City's defense has been on a tear, holding opponents to under 18 points in three straight games. Last week, they recorded four interceptions, five sacks, and 11 QB hits against the Browns. While the Chiefs’ secondary has been opportunistic, their pass rush could be the deciding factor, particularly if they exploit Houston's shaky pass protection.
Texans defense
The Texans’ defense has been solid in recent weeks, holding opponents to under 21 points in three of their last four games. They'll need to keep that momentum going against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense. While Kansas City allowed no sacks last week, they faced significant pressure, something Houston will need to replicate to disrupt Mahomes' rhythm.
What does Vegas think?
The Chiefs are favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 42 points.
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*ChatGPT assisted with this content.