Shakhtar reach London for AEK Athens match after air-raid alerts disrupt preparations
Shakhtar Donetsk are preparing to face AEK Athens at Stamford Bridge after air-raid alerts affected the team in Ukraine.
Shakhtar Donetsk have travelled from Ukraine to London for their scheduled Champions League match against AEK Athens at Stamford Bridge on 14 October, after air-raid alerts disrupted their preparations, according to the Guardian.
Air-raid alerts during Shakhtar’s preparations
An alert in Rivne sent players and staff to a stadium shelter during Shakhtar’s match against Veres Rivne, delaying the second half by 20 minutes, the Guardian reported. Another alert affected the area around the team’s training base near Lviv around dawn the following day.
Stamford Bridge hosts Shakhtar’s European fixtures
Shakhtar cannot play its European games in Ukraine, the Guardian reported. BBC Sport says Stamford Bridge is the club’s home venue for this season’s European fixtures in London.
The club hopes at least 25,000 fans will attend the AEK Athens match, according to the Guardian. BBC Sport reported that Shakhtar’s away allocations at Crystal Palace and Arsenal previously sold out within an hour.
Sources and context
- Joining Shakhtar as they make base in London: ‘We’re here to show the world that we are alive’The Guardian
- Champions League: How Ukrainians are uniting behind Shakhtar Donetsk in London - at new Stamford Bridge homeBBC Sport
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