Portugal’s health minister said on Monday that no fans will be at the forthcoming Champions League games in the country ‘under the present pandemic situation.’
UEFA announced on 17 June that the final stages of the 2019-20 Champions League would take place in Lisbon from 12-23 August, rather than as initially scheduled in Istanbul.
When asked about possible Champions League fan attendance at the games Antonio Lacerda Sales said: For the public, and not based on the current pandemic situation. We don’t know how the pandemic would develop so we will behave as we did in other circumstances according to the nature of the pandemic. I can’t foresee the future, certainly not in this process.”
When it was announced that the Champions League games would be in Portugal, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said no decision had been made concerning the fans’ attendance.
In 1568 Portugal reported deaths from coronavirus, with 41912 positive cases. The Portuguese League resumed on June 4, with all the matches played behind closed doors.
In March, the Champions League competition was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic before completing the round of 16. The cities of Porto and Guimaraes will be staging the round-of-16 matches on August 7-8 if any of the teams that need to host a game can not do so.
Benfica’s Estadio da Luz and Sporting’s Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon were selected by UEFA from the quarter-finals to the Champions League games on stage.
