Delicate negotiations are going on between the British government, European football's governing body Uefa and others about where the Champions League final should be played, senior British minister Michael Gove said on Sunday.
The final, scheduled for May 29, will be between two English clubs, Manchester City and Chelsea. It was due to be played in Istanbul but that was thrown into doubt after the British government placed Turkey on its travel red list, making it all but impossible for British fans to attend.
"There are delicate negotiations that are going on at the moment," Gove said on Sky News when asked about where the final should take place.
"My friend, my colleague the culture secretary Oliver Dowden [also the minister for sport] is talking to people about this at the moment, and so I don't want to cut across that. But I'm sure that fans in the UK would dearly love to see the final played here in the UK."
Asked about the same issue in a separate interview on the BBC, Gove said Dowden was talking to "Uefa and others".
Manchester City booked their place in the final with a 4-1 aggregate victory over French champions, and last year's beaten finalists, Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Chelsea then joined their domestic rivals in the title showpiece with a 3-1 aggregate victory against Real Madrid.
The two teams played out a dress rehearsal for the Champions League final on Saturday when Chelsea beat City 2-1 at the Etihad in a Premier League fixture, although both sides made numerous changes to their starting lineups.
WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
