Manchester United changed their travel plans for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid in Spain amid concerns about flying with Russian airline Aeroflot while tensions are escalating in Ukraine.
United regularly fly to European matches with Aeroflot under their longstanding commercial partnership, but on this occasion their charter flight to Spain — flight A359 scheduled to depart at 16:00 — was cancelled, The Athletic reports.
Ralf Rangnick and his players instead travelled with a charter airline, UK-based Titan Airways, and were due to arrive in Madrid on Tuesday evening ahead of their game against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium the following night.
Sources at Old Trafford indicated this decision was made “mutually” with Aeroflot and that their commercial partnership remains intact. The Athletic has contacted Aeroflot for comment.
The development came on a day that the Prime Minister announced a series of sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Boris Johnson also said the events of the past 24 hours made it “inconceivable” that this season’s Champions League final could take place in Zenit St Petersburg.
UEFA said it was “closely monitoring” the situation.
“In regards to the 2022 UEFA Champions League final in St Petersburg, UEFA is constantly and closely monitoring the situation and any decision would be made in due course if necessary,” European football’s governing body said.
Johnson was meanwhile asked to correct the record over claims that Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich was facing sanctions from the UK government.
The Prime Minister told the House of Commons that Abramovich was “already facing sanctions” as he answered a question from Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge.
But Chris Bryant, also of Labour, later raised a point of order to ask about the accuracy of Johnson’s remarks.
When asked about the remarks in the Commons, Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister misspoke,” before making clear the record would be corrected with parliamentary authorities.
