Arsenal will play their Europa League last 32 ‘home’ leg against Benfica in Greece.
The Premier League side will face the Portuguese giants in the first knockout stage at neutral venues due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Svein Ove Ekornesvåg / NTB
The Gunners won all six group games against Molde, Rapid Vienna and Dundalk and Benfica will be their biggest test in Europe this season, but the locations for both legs have thrown a spanner in the works.
UEFA recently announced a number of knockout stage matches in the Champions League and Europa League will be forced to be staged at neutral venues over coronavirus regulations of certain nations, which have no exceptions for elite sportsmen and women.
Arsenal’s clash with Benfica is one of the ties affected, and UEFA has confirmed the games will be held in two different countries. The first away leg will be held in Rome, with the second in Athens’ Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis – home of Olympiakos – on 25 February.
The game was initially moved to the capital city, but Athens’ strict new lockdown until 28 February threw that into doubt.
AFP
The first leg, which is Benfica’s ‘home’ game, will be staged at the Stadio Olimpico on February 18, at 8pm (UK time).
UEFA has also confirmed away goals will count double in the event of a draw over two legs – despite technically EVERY goal that will be scored across the tie being an ‘away goal’.
Manchester United’s last-32 clash against Real Sociedad has also been affected, but the Red Devils will at least still get the chance to play at Old Trafford after only their first-leg was moved.
United were due to travel to Spain to face Real Sociedad next Thursday, but they will now take on Sociedad at Juventus’ Allianz Stadium in Turin following Spanish Government restrictions on travellers entering the country from England, while there are no current restrictions to prevent people from entering the UK from Spain.
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However, Government rules regarding travel between the UK and Portugal mean neither of Arsenal’s games can take place at either club’s home stadium, which is who both the first and second legs have been relocated.
Arsenal would have been forced to isolate for ten days after returning from Portugal – with the usual exceptions for elite athletes scrapped – while Benfica would not have been able to enter the UK at all.
The developments come after Liverpool and Manchester City also had Champions League ties due to be played in Germany moved to Budapest.
Liverpool’s clash with Leipzig on February 16 and City’s encounter with Borussia Monchengladbach on February 24 will now both take place at the Puskas Arena in the Hungarian capital on their respective scheduled dates.
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