Sergio Ramos criticises Uefa decision to hold Champions League final in Kiev
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos criticised Uefa’s decision to hold the Champions League final in Kiev on the day Liverpool offered to refund tickets for hundreds of fans who have failed to reach the Ukrainian capital.
“To reach some countries sometimes it’s a bit more complicated. I’m sure many fans would have preferred to have the game closer to home to facilitate them,” Ramos said. “This could be taken into consideration when organising such finals.”
Ukraine has looked forward to a big economic and public relations boost ever since it was handed the final in 2016 without a formal bidding process, but Liverpool supporters have been stranded after three charter flights were cancelled this week.
There were talks between the cities’ two mayors with a view to opening up the requisite landing spots at Boryspil airport in Kiev, with Liverpool’s Joe Anderson saying that he was still in talks with his counterpart Vitali Klitschko over finding another airport to land the planes.
However, Liverpool’s offer to compensate fans was acknowledgement that there is unlikely to be any solution for those on flights that were chartered by World Choice Sport and were due to fly on Wednesday and Thursday from John Lennon airport.
European Cup final 2018 | Real Madrid vs Liverpool
One of the flights was rearranged for a longer stay in the Ukrainian capital, and Liverpool’s offer is open to those fans who have been unable to make the rearranged flight.
A statement from Liverpool said that 650 fans were left with no flight at all after the travel operator failed to reach agreement with Boryspil airport. The problem is thought to have been over the size of the proposed aircraft. Liverpool said the offer of a refund was being made to supporters who bought tickets through the club directly because of the “extraordinary circumstances”.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference in Kiev, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that he hoped the club could help supporters.
He said: “I know the club is trying to help with this things. It was not expected. We have not too much time, but we will do everything to bring everyone to Kiev.”
The private jet company Victor have said that the Kiev game has seen the greatest number of bookings of any Champions League final. Three groups of Liverpool fans, totalling 540, have hired three Airbus A320 private jets at a total cost of £411,000.
Next year’s final will be played in Madrid, which beat the Azerbaijani capital Baku in Uefa’s first formal bidding process.
