The Chelsea Supporters' Trust has requested that UEFA move the upcoming Champions League final after Turkey was added to England's travel red list on Friday.
Chelsea are set to take on Manchester City in Istanbul in the tournament finale, having taken down Real Madrid while Pep Guardiola's side moved past Paris Saint-Germain to earn their first spot in a Champions League final.
However, Turkey has now been added to England's red list, with Transport secretary Grant Shapps saying that countries on that list "should not be visited except in the most extreme circumstances".
What was said?
“Turkey has been added to the red list and therefore no #CFC supporters can travel to watch the #UCL final,” the CST tweeted on Friday.
“We are meeting with the @UEFA president this week & will request that the fixture is moved to the UK.”
Turkey has been added to the red list and therefore no #CFC supporters can travel to watch the #UCL final.
— Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (@ChelseaSTrust) May 7, 2021
We are meeting with the @UEFA president this week & will request that the fixture is moved to the UK.#ForTheFans
Potential solutions
Shapps says that the government is open to staging the game in the UK, which would be safe for both teams while also allowing supporters to travel and watch their team compete in the final.
He added that the Football Association has held talks with UEFA about switching the game, but that the decision is in the federation's hands.
"The UK has a successful track record of hosting matches with spectators so we are well placed to do it," he said.
"So we are very open to it, but it is actually in the end a decision for UEFA to make. But given it is two English clubs in the final, we look forward to hearing what they have to say."
The host city
Istanbul was scheduled to host last season's Champions League final before the tournament was rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The closing rounds of the 2019-20 tournament were held in Portugal instead, with Istanbul then promised the 2020-21 final instead.
Istanbul has not hosted a Champions League final since Liverpool's famous triumph over AC Milan in 2005.
Further reading
- From in-fighting to Istanbul: How Tuchel turned Chelsea into Champions League finalists
- 'If you don't have it, you don't talk about it' - Guardiola not thinking about Champions League final ahead of Chelsea clash
- Super League teams face financial penalties as all except Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus reaffirm commitment to UEFA
