Arsenal are currently in discussions with UEFA over their home UWCL match with Bayern Munich originally scheduled to take place at Emirates Stadium on 18 December. The tie will either need to be moved to a new location or a new date due to the men’s team being drawn at home to Crystal Palace in the League Cup on the same night.
Essentially, everything required to bring about an insurmountable clash transpired, with Spurs also being drawn at home in the League Cup during the same week and needing to play on a different night to Arsenal men.
The UWCL game is further complicated by the fact that Arsenal are obliged to let Bayern Munich train at the stadium and fulfill their media obligations on Tuesday, 17 December, which means the men’s game against Crystal Palace wouldn’t be able to be played on that date either.
Crystal Palace are playing at home to Brighton on Sunday, 15 December too. Because Arsenal’s UWCL game against Bayern is the final group game it has to kickoff at the same time as Valerenga v Juventus, the other game in the group. This is why a venue change is the most likely scenario. Arsenal are discussing the situation with UEFA.
Some options could include playing the game at Brentford’s Stadium, the London Stadium or maybe even Stadium:MK, while Arsenal could also seek an exemption from UEFA and ask for the game to be played at Meadow Park, which is currently not an option because the ground doesn’t meet UEFA requirements.
Arsenal are liaising with UEFA on a solution and say they will communicate the outcome in due course.
Something of the sort was bound to happen, I suppose. Everything crossed. Meadow Park would be my preferred choice – home game,home advantage. Only 5000 fans but they would be a super-passionate bunch.
Can’t believe meadow park doesn’t meet requirements, while those Swedish plastic pitches do. If it’s at any other ground, it’s essentially not a home match for us. Is UEFA going to be reasonable for once?