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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Freddie Keighley

Liverpool and Man City's Champions League opponents forced to pay for neutral venue

RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach will be forced to foot the bill for using the Puskas Arena to host their English opposition in the Champions League.

Leipzig are set to face Liverpool next Tuesday and Monchengladbach take on City eight days later in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

The Bundesliga clubs were forced to relocate the home leg of their last-16 ties after the German government imposed a ban on travellers arriving from the United Kingdom.

Leipzig and Monchengladbach sought a special dispensation in order to host the games on home turf and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp pleaded with German officials to let the fixtures go ahead as planned.

But they were unsuccessful in their efforts and UEFA confirmed earlier this week the fixtures had been rearranged to be played at the Puskas Arena.

As well as losing their home advantage - although the games would have been played behind closed doors - the two German clubs must also pay for use of the 67,125-seater stadium, which opened in 2019.

City were not allowed to travel to Borussia-Park (Bongarts/Getty Images)

The owners and operators of the Puskas Arena, the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ), will demand €114,000 (£100,000) as rent for each of the matches, according to Hungarian outlet Index .

After the two Champions League ties were relocated, UEFA thanked the clubs involved for their "close cooperation and assistance in finding a solution".

European football's governing body also thanked the MLSZ for their "assistance and agreeing to host the matches in question".

Liverpool and Manchester City still hope to welcome Leipzig and Monchengladbach to Anfield and the Etihad respectively.

The Reds' home leg is scheduled for 10 March, while City's is set for 16 March.

Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage last season, while City were defeated by Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Who will go further in the Champions League this season between Liverpool and Manchester City? Have your say in the comments.

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