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| ITALY - 2022/02/16: A microphone bearing the logo of UEFA Champions League and the logo of Amazon is seen at the end of the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen first leg football match between FC Internazionale and Liverpool FC. Liverpool FC won 2-0 over FC Internazionale. |
UEFA is exploring the possibility of moving the 2022 Champions League final from Saint Petersburg “amid concerns over the possibility of military conflict between Russia and Ukraine,” according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden.
The match is currently set to be held in the Krestovsky Stadium on May 28. However, this location of the Champions League final is now in doubt due to growing tensions between Russia and Western governments.
The UK government and the European Union have served notice in the past 24 hours of a readiness to impose stringent sanctions on Russia following Russian president Vladimir Putin's declaration on Monday that his country now recognise the independence of Ukrainian regions Donetsk and Luhansk, Ogden wrote Tuesday.
UEFA has not made an official decision on swapping out St. Petersburg as the host location, per ESPN. The political situation is being “closely monitored” at the time.
With four English clubs remaining in the Champions League field, London’s Wembley Stadium is a possible replacement host for the final, according to ESPN. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among those who joined the calls to move the match out of Russia should the conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalate.
I think it inconceivable that major international football tournaments can take place in Russia after the invasion of a sovereign country, Johnson said Tuesday.
