UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has called an “extraordinary meeting” for Friday to discuss whether Russia should be stripped of the Champions League final due to the escalating situation in Ukraine.
The 68,000-capacity Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg had been awarded the chance to host Europe’s showpiece event on May 28, but events overnight look likely to force a change of venue.
Russia president Vladimir Putin instructed an attack on Ukraine with explosions heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv while blasts were also reported in the cities of Odessa and Kharkiv.
European football’s governing body issued a statement on Thursday, which read: “Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine in the last 24 hours, the UEFA President has decided to call an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee for Friday 25 February at 10:00 CET, in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions.”
In other developments:
All of Thursday’s European games are expected to go ahead, including Zenit St Petersburg’s Europa League clash with Real Betis in Spain.
Sky Sports News has also contacted UEFA for comment on whether Russia’s European Championship qualifier against Poland will still go ahead on March 24 at the Dynamo Central Stadium in Moscow.
The Ukrainian league – due to restart this weekend after its winter break – has been suspended after the president announced Martial Law in the country.
Sky in Italy are reporting Shakhtar Donetsk’s Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi is currently stuck in a Kyiv hotel alongside eight staff members as well as his Brazilian players and their families
Formula One says it is “closely watching” events in Ukraine but offered no comment on whether September’s Russian Grand Prix will go ahead
