UEFA move Champions League final from Russia amid Ukraine crisis

UEFA have announced that this season’s Champions League final will be moved from Saint Petersburg to Paris.

An official announcement was published by UEFA this morning following an extraordinary committee meeting. The main talking point of the meeting was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and how it will impact the football calendar.

The governing body of European football was left with no other option but to rearrange the Champions League final – for the safety of everyone involved.

Now the final will take place instead at the Stade de France. It will be the first time France has hosted the final since 2006.

The statement read: “UEFA wishes to express its thanks and appreciation to French Republic President Emmanuel Macron for his personal support and commitment to have European club football’s most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis. Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.

“At today’s meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee also decided that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

“The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.”

As someone who covers football, especially things related to Manchester United, I’m finding any football discussion a bit irrelevant at the moment. While it would be great to see the Reds go all the way in Europe this season, I can’t get my head around what is happening in the world right now.

Our sympathy goes to everyone caught up in this conflict because it is pretty clear that the war is one-sided, with Russian president Vladimir Putin going against his word by invading its neighbouring country.

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