UEFA announced on Thursday that the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea initially scheduled for May 29 in Istanbul will be played in Porto, Portugal. A relocation which is explained by health restrictions in Turkey and which will allow 12,000 British supporters to attend the meeting at the Estadio do Dragao.
After Lisbon, Porto. Portugal love the Champions League. After the Final8, an unprecedented epilogue of the C1 last season, the health crisis once again led the UEFA leaders to organize the final in Portugal, at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto. Manchester City and Chelsea, the two finalists, were originally scheduled to meet on May 29 at Istanbul’s Atatürk Stadium (live on RMC Story and RMC Sport 1).
But the Covid-19 health crisis and the presence of two English clubs in the final have once again turned UEFA’s plans upside down. “Following the British government’s decision to place Turkey on its red list of Covid-19 travel destinations, holding the final there would have meant that neither of the national supporters of the two clubs would have made the trip,” said the European body. After a year of blocking fans in the stadiums, UEFA felt that everything should be done to ensure that the supporters of the two finalist teams could attend the final. “
12,000 tickets on sale for supporters
The Wembley track was once discussed with a view to relocation. Discussions have taken place but quarantine issues have led the leaders to rule out this lead. It was finally Portugal, a destination on the green list for England, which was selected. Those who will be traveling will not need to be placed in solitary confinement upon their return to the UK.
UEFA announces that 6,000 tickets for each of the two teams will go on sale this Thursday. At least 12,000 spectators could therefore attend the final at the Porto Dragon stadium (50,000 seats). “The stadium’s capacity for the match will be finalized and confirmed in due course in cooperation with the Portuguese authorities and the FPF,” said UEFA.
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