Uefa are expected to confirm that Saint Petersburg will no longer host the 2022 Champions League final at an extraordinary meeting to be held on Friday following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The biggest game of the European club calendar was scheduled to take place at the Krestovsky Stadium, known commercially as the Gazprom Arena, on 28 May. Alternative venues will now be explored, with Wembley Stadium understood to be one option.
A Uefa statement on Thursday morning read: “Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine in the last 24 hours, the Uefa President has decided to call an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee for Friday 25 February at 10am CET, in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions.”
Alexander Dyukov, the president of the Russian Football Union and Zenit St Petersburg and the chief executive of one of the Champions League’s main sponsors Gazprom, was invited to attend.
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The Ukrainian Premier League, which was scheduled to begin again after its winter break, had been due to recommence on Friday but will now be put on hold for at least 30 days in light of the government’s declaration of a state of emergency in the country.
Major sporting figures, including legendary Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko and Manchester City full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, have spoken out publicly against Russia.
There have been calls for further sporting sanctions to be imposed, including banning Russian clubs from competing in European competition. However, it is expected that stripping the country of the Champions League final will be the only major step taken initially.
Both Uefa and football’s world governing body Fifa will also have to find a solution for the upcoming World Cup 2022 play-offs in March in which both Russia and Ukraine are set to be involved.
Russia are scheduled to host Poland in Moscow and Ukraine are due to face Scotland at Hampden Park on 24 March.
Liz Truss, the UK’s foreign secretary, had urged English clubs to boycott the match if they reached the later stages of the competition.
Former sports minister Tracey Crouch said: “Given the events of the past 24 hours it is quite clear that there is no way the final can be played in St Petersburg, so Uefa should make that decision as soon as possible and then people can start to make preparations for the new venue.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/bGB5NJm
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