The UEFA Champions League final is supposed to occur in St. Petersburg, Russia, in a couple of months. However, with the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Daily Mail reports that it will be stripping the country as the host nation for the game.
Following the decision of President Vladimir Putin to send troops into eastern Ukraine, flaring a global concern, UEFA had emergency talks about moving the May 28th match away from St Petersburg.
According to the report, Tottenham Hotspur and Wembley Stadium are on standby should UEFA pull the trigger and relocate the host venue. However, UEFA reportedly would favor waiting until the semi-final line-up is confirmed before selecting a new host city.
UEFA could be feeling the pressure from outside their offices as Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated it ‘inconceivable’ Russia could host the Champions League final.
However, Johnson wrongly told Parliament that Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich had been ‘sanctioned,’ with officials subsequently compelled to correct his comments.
Nonetheless, with four Premier League clubs in the Round of 16, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the match is moved to London.