UEFA to discuss moving Champions League final from Russia after Ukraine invasion
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has called an “extraordinary meeting” for Friday to discuss whether Russia should be stripped of the Champions League final due to the escalating situation in Ukraine.
Ukraine says Russia has launched a “full-scale invasion” with explosions heard in major cities including Kyiv and Kharkiv.
The Champions League final on Saturday, May 28, is currently scheduled to be held at Zenit St Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena.
European football’s governing body issued a statement on Thursday, which 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 10:00 CET, in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions.”
In Ukraine, the Premier League season has been suspended following the invasion by Russia.
In a brief statement, the league said the suspension was due to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to impose martial law but did not give any planned date to resume.
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“Due to the imposition of martial law in Ukraine, the championship of Ukraine has been suspended,” a UPL statement read.
The decision also throws into disarray the Ukrainian national team’s plans, who are set to take on Scotland in Glasgow in their World Cup qualifying play-offs on March 24.
Sky in Italy are reporting Shakhtar Donetsk’s Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi is currently stuck in a Kiev hotel alongside eight staff members as well as his Brazilian players and their families.
All of them are in contact with their respective embassies to arrange a safe return but believed they could be allowed to play until the UPL’s statement landed this morning.
Ukraine’s top flight was set to resume on Friday after eleven weeks of winter break. Shakhtar are currently top, two points ahead of Dinamo Kiev.
