UEFA to consider options for Istanbul final after the UK adds Turkey to red list for travelling

The UK have put Turkey to a travel red list country, and travel restrictions will come with quarantine rules and it came as a huge blow to UEFA ahead of the Champions League clash Manchester City Vs Chelsea, on May 29.

Now UEFA to consider alternatives to host the final in different cities. At downing street on Friday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps made a statement to let UEFA know that England have put Turkey on the travel red list and it came as a blow to UEFA.

UEFA to consider options for Istanbul final after the UK adds Turkey to the travel red list. However, the England government wants their citizens to not travel to Turkey in these times and the event will take place at the Turkey capital only in Istanbul.

Shapps said: “I’m afraid we are having to put Turkey on the red list. This will have a number of ramifications. First of all, it does mean with regards to the Champions League, fans should not travel to Turkey.

“The FA are in discussions with UEFA on this. We are very open to hosting the final but it is ultimately a decision for UEFA.

“Of course, the UK has already got a successful track record of football matches with spectators, so we are well placed to do it. We are very open to it but it is, in the end, a decision for UEFA to make, but given there are two English clubs in that final. We look forward to what they have to say.”

The UEFA have no plans to change the venue for the final fixture, statement: “The UEFA Champions League final will take place in Istanbul on May 29 with a limited number of spectators and we are assured the temporary lockdown which is in force until May 17 should not have any impact on the match. UEFA continues to work closely with the Turkish Football Federation and the local and national authorities to stage the match safely.”

Shapps spoke on Friday again and said: “Red countries are those which should not be visited except in the most extreme of circumstances, where repeated testing and isolation in designated Government hotels on return is compulsory.

“Non-UK residents who have been in a red country in the last 10 days will still be barred from entering the UK. I must tell you that now due to concerns about Covid rates and variants of concern, Turkey, the Maldives, Nepal must regrettably be added to the red list.”