Portugal to host Champions League final

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - UEFA on Thursday said the 2021 Champions League final on May 29 will be played in Portugal rather than Turkey due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The UCL final between Manchester City and Chelsea will now be held at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto. 6,000 fans of each team will be able to attend," UEFA said on Twitter.

"The UCL final was scheduled to be at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul but, following the UK government’s decision to place Turkey on its red list of travel destinations, staging the final there would have meant none of the clubs’ domestic fans would be able to travel," the European football's governing body said.

UEFA also thanked Turkish football authorities for their cooperation and comprehension.

"UEFA is grateful also for the continued partnership and cooperative spirit of the Turkish football authorities, as well as the understanding they showed in this particular circumstance and will urgently look into future opportunities for the city of Istanbul," it added.

Turkey began a 17-day lockdown on April 29 that will last until May 17, also covering this week’s Eid al-Fitr holidays.

One of the largest stadiums in Portugal, Estadio do Dragao (Dragon Stadium) is the home of Porto that has a capacity for over 50,000 spectators.

The venue was built for the UEFA EURO 2004 tournament.

The 2020 Champions League final was held in Portugal as well.

Bayern Munich were crowned the 2020 champions, beating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in Lisbon's Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light).