Champions League final: Manchester City owner to pay for fans’ travel for flagship match in Porto | Economic news

Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour has announced that he will personally cover the costs of official travel for fans to the Champions League final.

The Abu Dhabi-based royal will pay for flights and transfer fees for “several thousand” people, the club said.

City and Chelsea are each allowed to take 6,000 fans to Porto for the Premier League final on May 29 – which will take place weeks after the Manchester blue side reclaim the domestic league title from Liverpool.

City supporters on the official trip, however, will have to complete the return trip within 24 hours of the final and incur additional costs for COVID-19[female[feminine tests, while remaining in a bubble during their stay.

The match was scheduled to take place at Istanbul’s Ataturk Stadium, but pressure increased for the venue to be changed after the UK government placed Turkey on its ‘red list’ of countries at risk and urged fans not to travel for the luminaire.

Porto has been selected despite suggestions, the game could be moved to Wembley amid sticking points over the lifting of quarantine rules for the 2,000 employees, sponsors, VIPs and foreign media.

Sheikh Mansour said: “Pep and the team have had such a remarkable season and reaching the Champions League final after a very difficult year represents a truly historic moment for the club.

“It is therefore extremely important that as many fans as possible have the opportunity to attend this special game.”

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City President Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: “The challenges facing the supporters ahead of this final are manifold, both in financial and logistical terms.

“I hope that His Highness’s initiative will allow the majority of our participants …