The Champions League 2020-21 Final is getting increasingly likely to be shifted to Porto from Istanbul due covid to restrictions levied in England

The Champions League 2020-21 Final is getting increasingly likely to be shifted to Porto from Istanbul due covid to restrictions levied in England

UCL trophy on show in Istanbul

UEFA are on the brink of awarding Porto the UEFA Champions League Final of the 2020-21 season between Chelsea and Manchester City on May 29 as they look for a new location to host the final.

Istanbul is scheduled to host the game but a national lockdown and the fact Turkey has been added to the UK’s red list for travel means that the European football’s governing body are looking to move it away from the Turkey for a second successive year.

Why the Final is most likely to be relocated from Istanbul?

The Champions League Final is most likely set to take place at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto

Last week, the UK government announced that Turkey had been added to the red list for travel from the United Kingdom. This is due to a significant surge in COVID-19 cases. It will also not be reassessed until after the Champions League final.

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That applies to elite sportspeople too, with no exemption for their bubble. The UK government would have had to grant special travel exemptions for players and club staff to get around the issue.

UEFA decided to move the game to Portugal to avoid these complications, while Istanbul is now expected to host the final in 2023.

The final was initially expected to be relocated to Wembley Stadium, but talks between UEFA, the UK government and the FA failed to reach an agreement this week. The UK government had not been updated by UEFA on Wednesday after initial talks over hosting the Champions League final in London took place earlier in the week. It is believed the UK government was unable to provide some concession grants to UEFA.

Portugal was deemed as a viable alternative since it is on the UK’s ‘green list’ of countries — meaning any travelling English fans would not be required to quarantine.

This would therefore allow fans from each club to attend the final. The game looks set to take place at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto. A location is expected to be confirmed on Thursday.

Spaniard Mateu Lahoz is set to referee the Champions League Final

Spain’s Mateu Lahoz will referee The UCL Final between City and Chelsea

Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz will take charge of the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea, UEFA has announced.

It will be the first Champions League final that Lahoz, will be refreeing, having previously served as the fourth official at the 2019 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. He and his team of referees including fourth official Carlos Del Cerro Grande and Var official Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez will be travel to the selected destination for the Champions League final clash between City and Chelsea on 29th May.

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