UEFA Champions League Final: Porto Unseats Istanbul As Hosts
- Wembley also mises the all-English clash over COVID-19 protocols
- Manchester City, Chelsea to receive 6,000 tickets each for their supporters
European Football governing body, UEFA has confirmed the Portuguese city of Porto as the new venue for this season’s Champions League final after a deal to move the game from Istanbul to Wembley proved unattainable.
Originally, the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in the Turkish city of Istanbul was slated to host the match between Manchester City and Chelsea on May 29, but negotiations to take the final elsewhere began after England placed Turkey on travel red list on Friday, May 7, 2021
In confirming that the European showpiece will now hold at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao, UEFA said City and Chelsea will get 6,000 tickets each for their supporters to be in attendance.
It also disclosed that arrangements are on ground to commence tickets’ sale to the general public on Thursday, May 27
Amid the search for a new venue, the United Kingdom (UK) government was keen on having the game in Wembley, but talks broke down when UEFA demanded that staff, media personnel and sponsors travel to the UK without quarantine.
With the government reluctant to accept the number of exemptions requested by the soccer ruling body, Portugal being on England’s green list for travel provided an immediate alternative.
This means City and Chelsea fans can attend without quarantine and there are no issues for the players, many of whom will start preparing for the European Championship shortly after the final.
Also, Porto got the endorsement after UEFA resolved all questions around COVID-19 restrictions in relations to the number of fans allowed inside the stadium as well as guarantees on travel exemptions for officials, media and sponsors.
Speaking on the development, UEFA’s President, Aleksander Ceferin said; “I hope the final will be a symbol of hope at the re-emergence of Europe from a difficult period and that the fans who travel to the game will once again be able to lend their voices to showcase this final as the best in club football.”
“We accept that the decision of the British government to place Turkey on the red list for travel was taken in good faith and in the best interests of protecting its citizens from the spread of the virus but it also presented us with a major challenge in staging a final featuring two English teams.”
“The difficulties of moving the final are great and the FA and the authorities made every effort to try to stage the match in England and I would like to thank them for their work in trying to make it happen”, Ceferin said – The Guardian
