The coronavirus will there be the last word on the champions League ? This Sunday, the british government has decided to exclude Spain from the list of safe countries and to impose a mandatory quarantine on all travelers. A decision that, in practice, implies a complete isolation of fourteen days to all of the individuals from the territory of spain (the Balearic and Canary islands included), has confirmed the ministry of Transport. A measure which, by its nature, endangers the eighth-finals between Real Madrid and Manchester City expected at the Etihad Stadium and programmed in less than two weeks.

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Defeated on the 26th of February last, at the stadium Santiago-Bernabeu (1-2), Real Madrid has an appointment with Manchester City on 7 August in an attempt to reverse the trend and win his ticket to the Final 8, the new format of the champions League. But now, in the face of the worsening of the pandemic in Europe, the chances to witness this clash in Great Britain are diminishing little by little. The decision of the executive uk comes after several autonomous communities in spain reported new outbreaks of the Covid-19 and an increase in contagious diseases these days. The mandatory quarantine imposed on those who arrive from Spain stands as an insurmountable challenge for a football club, unless the british government decides to make an exception.

City-Madrid in Portugal ?

On July 5, the british government announced it had negotiated agreements that would allow some international sports events like the champions League and the Europa League, the British Masters (golf) or the World Snooker (billiards). But the health situation has since changed and no official confirmation has been issued. Therefore, and given the impossibility to submit the club of madrid to a mandatory quarantine, everything indicates that the match should finally be held in Portugal… on neutral ground. An option that had initially been proposed by UEFA, before being abandoned following the categorical refusal of the clubs. According to the information of the radio Spanish Cadena Cope, Porto and Guimarães would be willing to host the meeting. For the time being, the UEFA has not yet reacted, and must initiate the first negotiations with the british authorities on Sunday.

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from the quarters, the matches should be played on a single direct confrontation, instead of a round-trip, as originally planned. The quarter-finals will be held from 12 to 15 August, the semi-finals on 18 and 19 August and the grand final will take place on the 23rd of August. All these meetings will begin at 21 hours, and must play Lisbon, the city chosen to host the Final 8. Two stages of the Portuguese capital have been selected : the estadio Da Luz (which will host the final) and the estadio José Alvalade.

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