By Tim Stannard/beIN SPORTS USA

55 members of European governing body meet to discuss how to finish current seasons and secure financial survival of clubs 

For once, April 1st is likely to be a day without any pranks. Especially when the line between the credible and incredible is so incredibly thin.

It's a line of ever-changing reality currently being walked by soccer bosses in Europe who are having to plan for a future being shaped by the path of a pandemic. 

Wednesday is the day for a video conference of UEFA's 55 members to try and work through a numerous number of challenges, notwithstanding when to resume 'normality'. 

However with death tolls still at horrendous levels across the continent, tens of thousands of people gathering in stadiums across Europe to watch soccer seems a far off prospect, no matter how attractive. Just how far off is the topic for discussion from one working group. The sensation is that the commitment to ending the current seasons remains. The question is when. 

Another area for discussion will be pretty much everything else tied into this - player contracts that run out on the 30th June, agreeing on policies for salary cuts, what to do with the traditional dates of the transfer market and most critically of all, how to ensure that all of the clubs that were in existence when soccer was suspended in Europe are still there for the return despite all income streams being cut off. 

The Sports Burst live show with Gabrielle Amado and Gary Bailey will bring the latest news from this conference at 12PM ET / 9AM PT. Just head to our beIN SPORTS Facebook page, Youtube channel and beIN SPORTS XTRA to have your say, too. 

And don't forget that the Sports Burst PM is on beIN SPORTS at 7PM every week day with another look back at the day's news, followed by a new edition of the Keys and Gray show as it looks at the impact of the coronavirus across soccer. 

Zlatan retirement rumors and Giroud's riposte 

Should the summer see a restart of soccer then it could also be the swansong of King Zlatan as a player. 

Over in Italy, Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that the Swede will not be taking up the option to renew his contract with Milan and could well choose to retire instead. When soccer was suspended in Italy, Milan were sixth in the table with Zlatan having scored three Serie A goals in eight appearances.

Sports Burst would like to take this opportunity to thank both Karim Benzema and also Olivier Giroud for some excellently entertaining work done over the past days. 

The fun began when Benzema snootily opined in a live social media-based chat that he was a Formula 1 car compared to Giroud's go-kart. Benzema pulled off a double-down on the comment. However, Giroud has replied admitting cheerily that he embraces the go-kart moniker but noting that he is "a world champion."

Touche. 

NFL expands as NBA contracts 

In these troubling times of sports wondering where the next pay check is coming from and how it will finish seasons, the NFL is doing the opposite - increasing its paycheck and adding games to the season. 

An official agreement has been made to expand the playoffs starting from the 2020-2021 season. Currently there are 12 teams in the NFL playoffs. Two more wildcard playoff spots will be added to see each division having seven teams going through to the final phase. In another change, only the number one seed in each division will earn a bye. 

To be fair, it is a change that will benefit most. The expanded format will generate $150 million a year extra revenue a year - the players involved will take a share - coaches are less likely to be fired now that a playoff spot can be boasted and Miami Dolphins fans can mathematically keep their hopes of a decent season alive until at least November. 

The NFL also expects to start the season in September and is planning matches in Mexico City and London. "All of our discussions, all of our focus has been on a normal traditional season starting on time," said NFL Executive Vice President, Jeff Pash. 

Meanwhile, in the completely opposite economics corner of American sport, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association are discussing plans to withhold 25% of salaries if regular season games are cut. This is possible due to force majeure clauses in contracts designed for events such as the coronavirus pandemic. 

Like all other sports, the NBA is currently in a holding pattern in having no idea of when basketball can return or what will happen to catch up the months lost.