Liz Truss has today called for English teams to boycott this year’s Champions League final if the showpiece game is allowed to go ahead in Russia.
The Foreign Secretary said if she was a football star she would ‘not want to be playing’ in St Petersburg – where the final is due to be held on May 28 – given President Vladimir Putin’s actions in eastern Ukraine.
Her comments come after UEFA chiefs yesterday held emergency talks about moving the showpiece – which is regularly watched by 380million people around the world – away from the Gazprom Arena amid the escalating threat of an all out Russian invasion of its neighbour.
It is understood UEFA would prefer to wait until the semi-final line-up is confirmed before choosing a new venue.
Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium are in the reckoning, with four English sides still left in the competition.
Last night, Manchester United’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick said it was for UEFA chiefs and politicians to decide on what will happen with the match – before adding that avoiding war was ‘more important actually than a Champions League game, to be honest’.
And today Ms Truss gave had her say on the matter. Asked by LBC host Nick Ferrari if an English club side should boycott the Champions League final in Saint Petersburg, should they get through, Liz Truss said: ‘Yes. If I was them I would boycott it.
‘I would personally not want to be playing in a football match in Saint Petersburg given what the Putin regime is doing.’
Earlier, former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch had called on UEFA to find a new venue for the Champions League final.
The Foreign Secretary today said she would ‘not want to be playing’ in St Petersburg – where the final is due to be held on May 28 – given President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send troops into eastern Ukraine
UEFA are set to strip Russia of the Champions League final, due to be hosted in St Petersburg
Her comments come after UEFA bosses yesterday held emergency talks about moving the showpiece away from St Petersburg amid the escalating threat of an all out Russian invasion of its neighbour. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin
Manchester United’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick said it was for UEFA chiefs and politicians to decide on what will happen with the match – before adding that avoiding war was ‘more important actually than a Champions League game, to be honest’
The Champions League final is due to be played at the 68,000-capacity Gazprom Arena, home of Zenit St Petersburg.
However, aside from the ugly optics of allowing the match to take place in Russia, there are logistical issues.
UEFA know bans on supporters travelling to Russia are likely to be enforced by foreign offices, including the UK’s. That was one of several issues outlined to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin at yesterday’s meeting.
Tottenham and Wembley are yet to be approached but Spurs are open to what would be a lucrative contract.
A switch to Wembley would require the League Two play-off final — a direct clash on May 28 — and the Championship final the following day to be shifted.
The EFL are understood to be happy to discuss moving their matches.
Man United’s manager interim boss Ralf Rangnick was yesterday asked about moving the final venue.
The United boss, whose side face La Liga Champions Atletico Madrid tonight, said: ‘It’s still a long way to the final and if we are to have a chance, then we need to beat Atletico first.
‘We are fully aware this is not the easiest of all draws we could get and then what would happen is maybe for UEFA and maybe some politicians to decide upon.
‘I think we all hope, not only here in England but in the whole of Europe, if not the rest of the world, that no things will escalate, nobody could be interested in a sort of war within Europe.
‘This is more important actually than a Champions League game to be honest.’
It comes as Britain yesterday announced sanctions on five Russian banks and three oligarchs following Russia’s decision to send 10,000 troops into Ukraine’s breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after he recognised them as independent.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to apologise yesterday after saying in the Commons yesterday that Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich was ‘already facing sanctions’ despite that not being the case.
Chelsea declined to respond and Mr Johnson’s comments were later clarified.
The PM’s spokesperson said that Mr Johnson had ‘mis-spoke’ and ‘operationally the parliamentary record will be clarified at the earliest opportunity’.
Mr Johnson told MPs: ‘It’s absolutely vital that President Putin understands what he is doing is going to be a disaster for Russia.
‘He is going to end up with… a Russia that is more isolated, a Russia that has pariah status, no chance of holding football tournaments.’
Wembley and Tottenham are ready to take on hosting duties for the showpiece event in May
A switch to Wembley would require the League Two play-off final — a direct clash on May 28 — and the Championship final the following day to be shifted. The EFL are understood to be happy to discuss moving their matches
The Champions League has been sponsored by majority Russian state-owned Gazprom since 2012.
That relationship is likely to come under the spotlight and several members of the European parliament have already called for it to be terminated.
The Polish FA (PZPN) revealed they had been in touch with FIFA.
A spokesperson said: ‘Due to the tense political situation in Ukraine and the Russian Federation, as well as possible further escalation and the beginning of an armed conflict, the Polish Football Association asked FIFA to urgently clarify the issues related to the organisation of the Russia-Poland World Cup play-off, scheduled for March 24 in Moscow.
‘The role of the Polish Football Association is to provide Polish footballers with optimal conditions for preparation and performances in international matches.
‘Political decisions remain in the hands of state authorities and international bodies.
‘However, being aware of the potential threats related to the current situation, we are waiting for the position of the governing bodies of the world federation.
‘At the same time, the PZPN emphasises that this case concerns not only the Poland national team, but also the national teams of Sweden and the Czech Republic, which could potentially face Russia in Moscow in a possible play-off final.’
FIFA said they were monitoring the situation.
There are no Russians currently playing in the Premier League, but there are three Ukrainians — West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko, Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Everton’s Vitalii Mykolenko. Each will be offered support by their clubs if needed.
It comes as it was revealed that Putin has moved stockpiles of blood and medical supplies to Russian troops positioned on the Ukrainian border, in a move U.S. President Joe Biden warned was in preparation for ‘a massive military attack’ against Ukraine.
A huge military convoy of more than 100 military trucks with soldiers was also seen heading towards the Ukrainian border where 190,000 Russian troops are already massed, raising fears Putin is about to stage a land-grab in eastern Ukraine.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is closest to that border, and has long been suspected as a possible target in a Russian invasion, according to western analysts.
Russian artillery pieces are pictured in Rostov-on-Don, on the Russian side of the Ukrainian border, on Tuesday – as Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to advance on to Ukrainian territory
Putin is thought to have moved thousands of troops into rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine today (dark red area on the map), but there are fears he will try to seize control of the wider regions that separatists lay claim to (lighter shade area)
Putin has already moved more than 10,000 Russian troops into Ukraine’s breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after he recognised them as independent. Some 6,000 troops were sent to Donetsk, 5,000 to Luhansk and 1,500 to the city of Horlivka, a source with links to Ukrainian intelligence said.
Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine.
‘This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don’t need blood unless you’re planning to start a war,’ the U.S President declared.
Biden was among world leaders to hit back against the Russian strongman for sending Russian troops into Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
The President announced he was moving American troops, fighter jets and helicopters to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on NATO’s eastern flank as a defensive move and imposing heavy financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs.
The UK and EU also responded with sanctions after Russian legislators authorised Putin to use military force outside the country, a move that could pave the way for a wider invasion of Ukraine after he rolled troops into rebel-held areas.
Holding a press conference to defend his decision today, Putin raised fears he is about to stage a land-grab in eastern Ukraine by saying his ‘peacekeeping’ mission will cover the whole of Donetsk and Luhansk regions including areas held by Ukraine.
Putin denied that Russia has already sent in troops but vowed that he will ‘fulfil its obligations’ if necessary. He also issued a fresh list of demands to Ukraine – calling on Kiev to drop its NATO bid, declare neutrality, ‘demilitarize’, and negotiate directly with separatists. It is expected the demands will be rejected out of hand.
As Russia’s troops rolled in, fighting in the region escalated – with shells striking a power plant on the Ukrainian side of the line Tuesday morning after explosions killed two of Kiev’s men and wounded 12 overnight.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had earlier led the Western response to Russia, ripping up a deal to open the Nord Stream 2 gas pipe – a move that will cost Russia billions of dollars in revenue but also hurt his own economy, saying that Putin’s actions must have ‘consequences’.
