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| Arsenal manager Unai Emery speaks during the pre-match press conference |
UEFA says it is working with the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) to make sure Arsenal’s rearranged Europa League fixture against Vorskla Poltava goes ahead in Kiev on Thursday.
The venue for the Group E clash was switched to Kiev from the Stadion Vorskla in Poltava – around 185 miles (300 kilometres) east of the Ukrainian capital – after martial law was declared in some regions of the country.
UEFA has apologised to both sets of supporters for the inconvenience of the switch – which was announced on Tuesday evening – and says it will send senior security experts to assess the situation in Ukraine.
A UEFA statement said: “On 26 November 2018 a state of martial law was declared by the national government in respect of specific areas of Ukraine.
“As a result of this exceptional measure, UEFA had to review – as a matter of urgency – the potential impact on the staging of the UEFA Europa League match between FC Vorskla and Arsenal FC on 29 November.
“The urgent decision of UEFA to relocate the match to Kyiv was based on the sudden introduction of martial law and the uncertainty of the security situation in some parts of Ukraine and particularly given the extremely short timescale available to evaluate all existing risks.
“UEFA is now working closely with the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) to ensure that the match goes ahead in the Olympiskiy stadium in Kyiv on Thursday. This decision concerns the match FC Vorskla and Arsenal FC.
“UEFA is also continuing its close collaboration with the FFU to examine all implications for holding matches in some parts of Ukraine in the immediate future.
“UEFA will be sending senior security experts to Ukraine to further assess the situation and the potential impact on security for upcoming UEFA matches.
“UEFA regrets the inconvenience the relocation of this match has caused to supporters and FC Vorskla.”
