Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City to be moved to Wembley - Reports
There have been serious doubts about the UEFA Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City taking place in Istanbul after the United Kingdom put Turkey on the 'red list.' This means that a British citizen must complete a 10-day quarantine period following a visit to the country.
Not only does this discourage Manchester City and Chelsea fans from making the journey, but it is also unfeasible for the players - many of whom need to join up with their respective national teams for the European Championship, which kicks off on 11 June.
However, as per The Times, talks are ongoing for the all-English final to be moved to Wembley Stadium in London. The British publication reports that 'key talks' are set to take place over the next few days about relocating the final to the English capital.
The Times also reported that UEFA may wish to have the final in front of 22,500 spectators at Wembley - a potential point of contention for local authorities. Playoff games for the English Football League (EFL) are also scheduled for the same weekend, which may have to be moved to accommodate the Champions League final.
There was also talk in the British press about the possibility of Villa Park - the stadium of Premier League team Aston Villa - being used for the Champions League final.
Chelsea and Manchester City make up second all-English Champions League final in three years
Chelsea and Manchester City defeated Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain respectively to make the Champions League final an all-English affair for the second time in three years.
Widely considered the biggest match in club football, the Champions League final in 2019 was contested between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds won the game to pick up the sixth European Cup in the club's history.
For Chelsea and Manchester City, the final will be extremely significant. The Blues reached the stage for the first time since winning the competition in 2012. Chelsea had a season of turmoil as they sacked Frank Lampard and hired Thomas Tuchel in January.
Manchester City, on the other hand, are in their first European Cup final. Under Pep Guardiola, the Cityzens have been touted as one of the greatest teams in European football in the recent past. However, they are yet to pick up the biggest prize in the game in five years since the Spaniard took charge.
The two clubs took part in a dress rehearsal of sorts in the Premier League on Saturday, when Chelsea prevailed over Manchester City in an evenly fought game. The Blues - having already defeated City in last month's FA Cup semi-finals - stole all three points thanks to a 92nd-minute winner from Marcos Alonso.
Although uncertainty prevails regarding the venue of the match, the Champions League final is set to be a grand affair. If recent encounters between the two teams are anything to go by, the final will be a tightly contested affair.