Lots of Chelsea FC news and notes to get to on this Thursday, ahead of the big FA Cup final against Leicester City on Saturday. And two weeks after that comes another cup competition finale, in the Champions League against Manchester City.
All the while, the club is still pressing on to finish in the top four of the Premier League, and qualify for next year’s Champions League. So let’s dive right in starting with today’s announcement that a decision has been reached- the UCL Final will now be played in Porto, not Istanbul.
The UK has put Turkey on its COVID-19 red list, meaning people within the borders of the United Kingdom are not allowed to travel there. Staging the game there would have meant no fans from England being allowed inside.
“I think we can all agree that we hope never to experience a year like the one we have just endured,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said.
“Fans have had to suffer more than 12 months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football.
“To deprive those supporters of the chance to see the match in person was not an option and I am delighted that this compromise has been found. After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don’t have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season.”
Our new @nikefootball Home Kit… ??
Inspired by the '60s Op-Art movement made famous in London ? The yellow trim, coupled with a more vibrant blue, injects a youthful feel that we can't get enough of. ? pic.twitter.com/znNIRc5NtP
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 13, 2021
There had been talks of trying to get the game moved to Wembley, but ultimately, Portugal was found to be the best compromise solution.
Elsewhere, Chelsea dropped their new home kit for 21/22, and the designed is influenced by the art and culture that was the zeitgeist of London during the swinging ’60s.
it’s certainly bold and unique. Not for everyone, but Austin Powers would approve.
Here is another and more closer look:
EARLY ACCESS! ?
Get your 2021/22 Home Kit today. ?
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 13, 2021
We’ll be back shortly with the team news and starting XI prediction for the FA Cup on Saturday.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.