Manchester City and Belgium ace Tessa Wullaert on the postponement of the Women’s European Championship and the uncertain fate of the WSL season

Belgium had recorded four wins from their first four games in their qualifying campaign for the 2021 Women’s European Championship.

Manchester City sat a point clear at the top of the WSL with just six games remaining of the season.

For Tessa Wullaert, a crucial player in both sides, life on the pitch couldn’t have been any better.

However, within the space of a month, the coronavirus pandemic has put an abrupt and indefinite halt to both teams’ growing momentum.

Euro postponement

The Women’s European Championship – set to be held in England during the summer of 2021 – will now instead be played in the summer of 2022.

This postponement followed the announcement that the Men’s European Championship and the Tokyo Olympics – both scheduled to take place this year – were to be pushed back until 2021.

While moving the Women’s Euros back to 2022 will prevent the clash of multiple tournaments, the decision understandably still carries some frustration.

Wullaert, who captains the Belgian side and has an impressive 42 goals in 86 appearances for her country, is someone who understands this sentiment more than most.

“My initial reaction was ‘oh my god it’s going to be boring to have to wait another two years,’” she admitted. “We lost our chance of the World Cup which was a huge disappointment.”

“So we’ve already had a summer without anything and now it’s going to be another two summers.”

This sense of frustration was a feeling shared by her fellow teammates, especially after Belgium’s strong showing at this year’s Algarve Cup.

“The team was very disappointed as well,” said Wullaert.

“At the Algarve Cup we had a lot of good games against opponents that are better than us so it was a good test.

“It also showed us that we still have a lot of work to do which really opened our eyes.”

Belgium currently sit joint top of their qualifying group alongside Switzerland, with both teams boasting 100% records after the opening four matches.

The two sides were due to face each other in a showdown clash on April 14, a match with huge significance for women’s football back in Belgium.

“The Belgian [Football Association] did a lot of media work because we wanted to set a record crowd,” explained Wullaert. We wanted to sell out the stadium which was 10,000 fans and for us that’s big.”

“Our record is only 7,500 so yeah we really worked hard towards that game, but now everything is postponed.”

WSL uncertainty

“It’s the same in the league with City,” Wullaert said. We’re just training and we don’t even know when we will restart the season.

“I just don’t like doing stuff without knowing what for, and that’s the case right now.”

However, Wullaert revealed that clubs in the WSL have all been in contact and remain unanimously determined to finish the season by completing all remaining games.

“We had an online meeting last week and they said every team wants to continue the league and finish it properly,” she explained.

“That’s what City wants to do, but I don’t know when we’ll restart.

“I’m currently in Belgium now so whenever I get the green light to move back to England again and the league looks set to restart, I will.”

While Wullaert eagerly awaits a resumption date, it remains to be seen whether a return to action would include the presence of supporters in stadiums.

Adam Millington, women’s football reporter at Vavel, feels like this is unlikely given the current health and safety restrictions in place.

“I think to finish it, it’s going to have to go behind-closed-doors,” he said.

“If you look at what the Bundesliga is currently proposing for football’s potential return in Germany, it looks like we could be without fans for the rest of 2020.

“I don’t think football will be played in front of fans in England for at least another few months at the earliest.”

Like the WSL, the resumption of the Premier League and domestic men’s football in the country remains in doubt.

However, Adam believes the Premier League, due to it’s global audience and strong financial appeal, will strive to find a fair conclusion to the season.

“I think the FA are under so much pressure that they wouldn’t just null and void the season.”

“They’d look to find a way of finishing it, whether that be through a points per game system or returning to play when it’s safe.

“I’m pretty sure they’ll do the same with the women’s league, mainly because they have to give the impression that they treat the WSL on the same level.”

Back in Belgium, the men’s Pro League looks set to become the first major European league to be officially cancelled because of coronavirus.

Club Brugge, who sit in first place, will be declared champions with the current league table set to stand.

Manchester City currently sit top of the WSL table, with Chelsea a point behind in second and Arsenal three points further back in third.

However, with both London sides having a game in hand, Wullaert admits that if the WSL were to finish with the current standings, crowning a champion would be problematic.

“We really want to be champions, but we really want to be champions in an honest way, and that’s why everyone wants to finish the league properly.”

It remains to be seen just how badly affected women’s football will be from coronavirus.

However, one thing’s for sure – Tessa Wullaert will be ready, and raring to target domestic and international success once action resumes.