The Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow will host the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League Final. The prospect of an all-English showdown even could make the Premier League move the Final venue to the UK. But Moscow insists on the UEFA regulations and all preparations done not to lose its right to hold club football's most prestigious event. The furthest East cup final could cause some tourist visa hindrances for English or Spanish or just all football supporters who are eager to get to the match.
The English Premier League will be presented by at least one team in the final, after Manchester United defeated AS Roma on Wednesday evening in the Champions League quarter-finals, what increases the likelihood of an all-English final at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium on May 21. Manchester now joins two other English clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea, in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Manchester United is to face Barcelona in the other tie. The first legs of the matches are to be played on April 22-23, with the return matches a week later.
The Times issued an article on April 9, where it reported, that The Premier League could write to UEFA to request that football’s European governing body considers moving the venue for the Champions League final in advance of the prospect of an all-English final to a neutral venue in England, with Wembley the obvious candidate, or at a stadium in Scotland, such as Hampden Park or Ibrox. This would promote to cut the organizing expenses and would add to securities measures and won’t cause mess with Russian tourist visas.
The Russian Football Union (RFU) has denied the rumours of the possible moving the match to the UK. The RFU press-secretary Andrey Malosolov says, ‘What we have read is nonsense. Such requests only show that these people are ignorant of UEFA regulations. This match can’t be moved to another venue; as such events are planned for years ahead’.
The official noted that both Moscow and UEFA have invested lots of money in the match organization, that’s why in case of its moving the Russian capital will lose millions in revenue and also set a dangerous precedent. Though, as the UEFA history goes, the 2000 Final between Real Madrid and Valencia, the Spanish clubs, was held in Paris and the all-Italian encounter between Milan and Juventus was held at Old Trafford, the UK.
Mr. Malosolov doubted that British security services are better trained to provide known as emotional and fierce English fans with peaceful atmosphere. ‘We have great experience in hosting such high level events. RFU, Russian police and city authorities know how to react and what to do. Nobody guarantees that the final will be all-English, the Spanish Barcelona is likely to be in the final. This will let to avoid any violence,’ he added. In any case Moscow will successfully welcome all 69,500 supporters.
Not only Moscow and its main and beautiful five-star Luzhniki stadium are being prepared now. The forty two thousand fans of the final teams and nearly seventeen thousand of Europeans who are to get their 2007/08 UEFA Champions League tickets are concerned about Russian visa and Moscow accommodation arrangements. Russia-IC can assist all football fans in getting the Russian visa support and booking accommodation in Moscow. You can see all our services and contact our managers, clicking the link services. Here you can see the visa support price and fill in the form for applying for visa support . To choose a better accommodation for you, please, click here apartments.
Moscow and Russia-IC wish Champions League finalists good luck and for all football-lovers to have a good time in Mother-Russia. Who knows when else you, fans, have time to visit our country… or may be you will fall in love with the city at the first sight and it will be the start of further come backs…
By the way the final will let the Englishmen a fair chance to prove that they can win, no matter whom, on the grass of Luzhniki.
Sources:
www.interfax.ru
www.sportcom.ru
Irina Fomina