This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
Published on June 9, 2020
Madrid, the capital city of Spain, is being considered as a potential host for this year's Champions League final. The city's mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, has given his 'total and absolute support' for the idea.
The Champions League final was initially set to take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on May 30, but the tournament was postponed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The final last season was held at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano, while Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu hosted the 2010 decider between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
Spain has made significant progress in controlling the spread of COVID-19, with the city of Madrid moving into phase two of the government's de-escalation programme on Monday. However, the country has still recorded over 27,000 deaths due to the virus.
Almeida believes that hosting the Champions League final would be a significant achievement for Madrid, demonstrating its ability to recover quickly from the pandemic. 'What it would demonstrate is Madrid's ability to recover in a very short time from the dramatic situation we have been through,' he said.
Uefa is yet to confirm how or if the tournament will continue, with an update expected after the governing body's executive committee meeting on June 17. Domestic leagues like La Liga in Spain and the Premier League in England are due to finish in July, allowing the possibility for European competitions to resume in August.
