WEMBLEY FINAL SWITCH IN DOUBT
PORTUGAL COULD HOST EUROPEAN SHOWPIECE GREEN LIGHT FOR FANS TO RETURN NEXT WEEK
THE chances of Wembley hosting the Champions League final appear to be diminishing, with Portugal now the likely destination when Chelsea play Manchester City on May 29.
The government had been hoping to persuade Uefa to switch the game from Istanbul to London in talks yesterday, with Turkey having been placed on Britain’s high-risk Covid ‘red list’ for international travel last Friday.
However, some of the assurances being sought by European football’s governing body pose difficulties for the authorities at a time when UK border controls remain strict.
The key sticking point is over quarantine rules, with Uefa wanting to waive the requirement to isolate for ten days on landing in the UK for its VIP guests and staff, plus broadcasters and sponsors – up to 2,000 people.
Discussions are ongoing but Portugal – on Britain’s ‘green list’ for international travel, which removes quarantine requirements – is well placed to stage the showpiece, with Lisbon having hosted all Champions League ties from the quarter-finals onwards last year due to the pandemic.
The government described the meeting as cordial and stressed the ball remains in Uefa’s court. Its case is helped by its current positive relationship with the organisation, whose president Aleksander Ceferin voiced appreciation of the pressure put on the clubs who threatened to form the breakaway European Super League.
There was some positive news about the return of spectators on these shores yesterday when prime minister Boris Johnson confirmed English sporting venues can welcome back spectators from next Monday.
Larger seated outdoor venues will be able to admit up to 10,000 spectators with smaller outdoor venues capped at 4,000 or 50 per cent, whichever is the lowest. The indoor cap will be the lesser of 1,000 or 50 per cent.
The Premier League pushed its penultimate round of matches back to May 18 and 19 so every club can host one game in front of supporters before the season ends on May 23.
‘It will be brilliant to see fans back,’ said chief executive Richard Masters. ‘The Premier League has not been the same without them. Their presence will ensure a fantastic finale to the end of our season.
‘This is an important step in our return to normality. Our priority is to have full vibrant stadiums – including away supporters – from the start of next season. Only then will we get back to the real Premier League.’