Kremlin Says "Shame" Saint Petersburg Stripped Of Champions League Final

The Kremlin said Friday it was a pity Russia's second city Saint Petersburg was stripped of the right to hold the UEFA Champions League final after President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine. "It is a shame that such a decision was made," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Saint Petersburg could have provided the best possible conditions for holding this football event." Earlier on Friday, UEFA announced that Paris will host this season's Champions League final. The showpiece occasion of the European club season will be played at the Stade de France on Saturday, May 28, European football's governing body said after holding an emergency meeting in response to the crisis.

"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," a statement said.

The Russian government responded by calling the decision by UEFA "a shame".

"It is a shame that such a decision was made," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Saint Petersburg could have provided the best possible conditions for holding this football event."

The final was supposed to be played at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg, which already hosted several matches at last year's European Championship and at the 2018 World Cup held in Russia.

UEFA made no reference to its relationship with Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant that is a key sponsor of European football's governing body.

It is the third year running in which UEFA has moved the Champions League final with the Covid-19 pandemic leading to the 2020 edition being switched from Istanbul to Lisbon, and then