The Champions League Final is heading to Portugal - after an own goal from the UK Government.
Porto’s Estadio Dragao has been confirmed as the new venue for the all-English encounter between Manchester City and Chelsea on May 29, with both Premier League clubs allowed 6,000 fans.
The match was originally due to be played in Istanbul at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
However, UEFA has been seeking an alternative since the British Government placed Turkey on its high-risk ‘red list’ for international travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.
And that saw a number of UK MPs, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and transport secretary Grant Shapps, suddenly make very bullish, public declarations over getting the game moved to Wembley.
Johnson said over the weekend: “With two English teams in the final, it would be a great shame if fans were unable to attend.
“It would be brilliant to host it here if we can. I want to help supporters of both clubs see their team in action.”
UEFA chiefs were not impressed with what they saw as mere grandstanding from the likes of Johnson.
However, European football’s governing body duly held talks with UK authorities and the FA over a potential switch as they sought a solution that would work for both clubs themselves and fans.
Yet a number of sticking points soon emerged, including over the number of quarantine exemptions allowed to UEFA for its relevant officials, sponsors and stakeholders.
Suddenly, the UK Government weren’t so bullish and questions were asked as to whether they actually knew what was required to hold the event during the continued pandemic - or whether they just wanted to be seen to be saying what they knew fans wanted to hear.
Negotiations duly didn't get far and that allowed Portugal - who stepped in last year for the final stages when Lisbon’s two main stadiums hosted all matches from the quarter-finals onwards in a rearranged mini-tournament - to move in once again.
Currently travel into Portugal from countries outside the European Union is only allowed in limited essential cases, but it’s expected that rules will be relaxed to allow supporters to make the trip, with City and Chelsea expected to receive around 6,000 tickets for fans.
Fans returning to the UK would not have to quarantine, with Portugal currently on the Government’s ‘green list’.
The team of officials for the final has already been confirmed too. They are from Spain, with Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz chosen to referee UEFA's showpiece fixture.
Announcing the switch, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don’t have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season.
“Once again we have turned to our friends in Portugal to help both UEFA and the Champions League and I am, as always, very grateful to the FPF and the Portuguese Government for agreeing to stage the match at such short notice.
“They have worked tirelessly in very tight time constraints in finding solutions for the many challenges that hosting a game of this magnitude presents.
"Whenever there has been an obstacle, they have been creative in the solutions presented and the success of staging this year’s final is entirely down to their hard work and persistence."
