Amid increasing concerns over the rapid spread of COVID-19, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin admitted that Champions League and Europa League could be entirely scrapped if current government restrictions remain into September. 

Football leagues across Europe and beyond have been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both the Champions League and the Europa League have stalled with the round of 16 yet to be completed. 

"We are waiting for the development of this terrible situation in the world, and mainly in Europe," Ceferin told German broadcaster ZDF. "We can't play it out in September or October."  

When asked whether the season could be abandoned totally, he said: "If the authorities do not allow us to play, then we cannot play. The fact is that we really don't know much." 

Ceferin insisted that playing behind closed doors would be preferred to abandoning games. 

"Football isn't the same without fans … it is definitely better to play with fans than without fans. It is still better to play the game behind closed doors and have it on TV, which is what the people need and want because it brings positive energy to their homes, than not playing at all," he said.

Meanwhile, UEFA issued a statement on Sunday denying media reports that there is an August 3 deadline to complete this season's Champions League. 

"This is not true," read the statement. "The president was very clear not to set exact dates for the end of the season."  

"UEFA is currently analyzing all options to complete domestic and European seasons with the European Club Association and the European Leagues in the working group set up on 17 March." 

"The primary priority of all the members of the working group is to preserve public health. Following on from that, it is to find calendar solutions to complete all competitions." 

"Options are currently being studied to play matches in July and in August if needed, depending on restart dates and the permission of national authorities." 

The Italian FA (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina, however, said that the Serie A season could even be extended to September or October, warning there could be an "avalanche of litigation" if it was not settled on the field. 

"The only serious way to handle a serious emergency of this kind is to complete the 2019-2020 season competitions this year," Gravina told Italian public-service broadcaster RAI on Sunday.

"We are working on a whole series of possible solutions to manage the situation in the best possible way. Could it finish in September of October? That is one hypothesis. It's a way to avoid jeopardizing not only the 2019-20 season but also the 2020-21 season." 

Gravina added that if the current season was abandoned, Italian football could suffer "an avalanche of litigation to which we would be subjected by all those who could be considered damaged in their rights and interests." 

"We would really run the risk of the championship taking place only in the courtrooms." 

The pessimism is also spreading to France, where several Ligue 1 club presidents are preparing for the worst possible case scenario.

"There are more uncertainties today ... but the chances of finishing all the matches are lower," Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas told L'Equipe on Sunday. 

The sentiment was echoed by Brest President Denis Le Sant who said "the season could not start again."

Amiens President Bernard Joannin, whose side are 19th in the table, agrees. 

"Denis Le Saint has a very humane position that places the health of all above everything else. It's a view that's shared by a lot of people in the world of football," Joannin told Agence France-Presse. 

"You have to understand that the only commander is COVID-19. Unfortunately, it sets the agenda."