ISTANBUL FINAL PLANS IN CHAOS

Turkey put on red list: Chelsea and City stars face 10 days’ quarantine Supporters told not to travel, FA ask UEFA to move match to England

PLANS to hold the all-English Champions League final in Istanbul were thrown into crisis last night after Turkey was placed on the overseas travel red list.

The UK Government’s decision means Manchester City and Chelsea players and staff – along with up to 12,000 supporters who had hoped to travel to the showpiece occasion on May 29 – will have to quarantine in hotels for a period of 10 days upon their return.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned fans not to travel to Istanbul and confirmed the FA had approached UEFA over whether the match could be moved to England. He

said: “Red-list countries should not be visited. Testing and isolation in designated Government hotels on return is compulsory.

“The FA are in discussions with UEFA on this. We are open to hosting the final. “The UK has already got a successful track record of football matches with spectators. It is a decision for UEFA but given there are two English clubs in that final, we look forward to what they have to say.”

It is a huge blow to UEFA, who were determined to stage the match in the Turkish capital.

And it is a setback for England boss Gareth Southgate, who faces seeing some of his best players in quarantine up to four days before their opening Euros game against Croatia on June 13 if the match is not switched. City manager Pep Guardiola and Chelsea counterpart Thomas Tuchel said earlier in the day they would be happy to play the game wherever UEFA decided.

“It’s a UEFA issue,” said Guardiola. “But we will be there.

“UEFA will decide the best for everyone. If they decide to move on or stay here in this country or another place, we’ll take the plane or the bus.”

Tuchel echoed those comments, saying: “I play wherever it’s played”.