The Premier League season is due to restart in three weeks, and there is no question about who will be crowned Champions.
But different questions linger this year – how will the presentation of the trophy go ahead and where will it happen?
There have been reports claiming Liverpool will be forced to play the remainder of the season away from Anfield, because of fears fans will gather.
Blatant prejudice aside, it’s expected the Reds will request usage of the capital’s Wembley Stadium if playing in the club’s home city is deemed unsafe.
Now onto how the trophy will be presented to the Champions – admittedly, this is harder to answer because there has been very little word on it.
“It is important to mark that moment, we will do all we can,” the Premier League CEO said yesterday (via Football Daily).
If we take a look at how Celtic were presented with the Scottish Premiership, with the above quote in mind, it’s probably safe to say Jordan Henderson won’t be lifting the trophy alone at Anfield.
Kapiteni wa Celtic – Scott Brown – ateruye igikombe cya shampiyona baherutse guhabwa muri sitade yabo – Celtic Park. pic.twitter.com/wWWQBdQbOZ
— Daily Foot 250 🇷🇼 (@250Foot) May 24, 2020
Something interesting happened on Friday, though. Unlike the SPL, the Austrian Bundesliga opted to continue the season until completion.
And so RB Salzburg took on Lustenau in the domestic cup final – they won and were presented with the trophy in unprecedented fashion.
A mat was placed in the middle of the pitch with circles printed on for players to stand in. The trophy was given to captain Andreas Ulmer and he lifted it with his team-mates from a safe distance.
🇦🇹🏆 Jesse Marsch has his first silverware in Austria, as RB Salzburg take a 5-0 win over SC Austria Lustenau in the Austrian Cup final! pic.twitter.com/lb9yIEXAtP
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 29, 2020
With football in England taking the same route as the Austrians amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s fair to assume any trophy presentation could look something like theirs.
In conclusion, my guess would be the Liverpool squad will be presented the Premier League trophy in a neutral stadium and be forced to stand apart just like Salzburg did.
There is something lacking from their celebration though, and without fans to create an atmosphere, I think utilising some fireworks wouldn’t go amiss.