Russia issues response to UEFA stripping country of Champions League final

Russia has expressed its regret after UEFA stripped the country of the right to host the 2022 UEFA Champions League final.

The European final was scheduled to take place at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on May 28.

But following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia will no longer host the showpiece event and the match will instead be played at the Stade de France in Paris.

Press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said: "It's a pity, of course, that such a decision was made. But [the decision] has been made, so it is accepted."

When asked whether he considered the decision to be politically motivated, the spokesman replied: "No, I didn't say that. I just expressed regret."

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin called a meeting on Friday morning amid the escalating situation in Ukraine.

In addition to St Petersburg being stripped of host city status for the Champions League final, it has been decided that club and national teams competing in European competitions in both Russia and Ukraine will now be required to play at neutral venues.

A UEFA statement read: "The UEFA Executive Committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021/22 UEFA Men's Champions League from Saint Petersburg to Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

"UEFA wishes to express its thanks and appreciation to French Republic President Emmanuel Macron for his personal support and commitment to have European club football's most prestigious game moved to France at a time of unparalleled crisis.

"Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement.

"At today's meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee also decided that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

"The UEFA Executive Committee further determined to remain on standby to convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary."