UEFA is considering not having the Champions League final played in Saint Petersburg this season. The cause is the tensions that are currently going on at the border with Ukraine. On Tuesday, Russian troops were sent to two rebel-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine. It is feared that an invasion will take place. UEFA says it is “monitoring the situation closely”.
This year’s Champions League final will be played on Saturday May 28 in the Gazprom Arena, the home of Zenit Saint Petersburg. Against the background of the unrest Ukraine, it is considered highly unlikely that the European Football Association will allow the game to take place in Russia. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in the House of Commons on Tuesday that “there is no way to host football tournaments in a Russia invading sovereign countries.” Fears of a Russian invasion have increased in recent times, as the country is estimated to have some 150,000 troops stationed along Ukraine’s borders.
British culture secretary Nadine Dorries added that she has “serious concerns about the sporting events to be held in Russia,” such as the Champions League final. “We will not allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to exploit events on the world stage to legitimize his illegal invasion of Ukraine,” Dorries added. Meanwhile, former British Sports Secretary Tracey Crouch has told BBC told UEFA to move the final ‘immediately’.
UEFA’s governing body carefully assesses the situation before making a decision. It seems that the European Football Association has to look for a new destination for the third year in a row. The previous two finals were hosted in Portugal due to the corona pandemic. UEFA has already postponed the match in the eighth finals of the Youth League between Dynamo Kyiv and Sporting Portugal, which was to be played in Kyiv on March 2. That match has been moved to March 9.
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