Chelsea and Manchester City ask UEFA to move Champions League final to Wembley
The English finalists of Europe’s premium club tournament are asking for common sense to prevail, with Turkey under lockdown with the covid-19.
The final of the Champions League 2021 is set to be held in Istanbul on 29 May. However, with two English sides qualifying for the match and the backdrop of the covid-19 pandemic, the venue for the game could end up being changed, to Wembley Stadium in London.
Chelsea and Man City ask for Champions League venue change
The two finalists, Chelsea and Manchester City, have asked UEFA today, Thursday, for the venue for the final to be changed. However, in principle, the Champions League organisers were less than receptive to the request. Both clubs, though, are determined to press their case and are going to ask the English FA to fight on behalf of the clubs and their fans, with the number of fans attending dependent on UEFA making a final decision.
European football’s governing body had planned to allow 9,000 people to attend the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. However, according to a number of public health experts, allowing thousands of fans to travel to the Turkish city would be highly irresponsible. On that basis, a week ago they urged UEFA not to allow fans to cross Europe for the game, with the cases of covid-19 out of control in the country. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoga has put the country under a complete lockdown from Wednesday 29 April to 17 May, just 12 days before the Champions League final. The infection rates of SARS-CoV-2 are currently the highest in Europe.
Given the situation, and having qualified for the final, Chelsea and Manchester City have asked for the venue to be changed and for common sense to prevail, to avoid thousands of fans travelling in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.