Ighalo & Utd In Limbo As UEFA Reveals New Europa League Format, Restart Dates

Odion Ighalo and Manchester United are still to know the venue of their Europa League last 16 second-leg tie after UEFA revealed resumption dates and new formats for completing the competition and the Champions League.

Europe’s governing body confirmed on Wednesday that this season’s Champions League and Europa League competitions will resume as World Cup-like tournament in Lisbon, Portugal and in cities across Germany.

According to UEFA, after the outstanding last-16 Champions League ties are decided at yet to be announced venues, subsequent knockout rounds will be single-leg affairs and will be hosted in Lisbon between 12 to 23 August.

The second-leg of the remaining last 16 games will be played on 7 and 8 August – Manchester City host Real Madrid, Chelsea are away at Bayern Munich, Juventus are home to Lyon and Napoli are at Barcelona.

The final has been scheduled for 23 August in Lisbon while Istanbul, originally named as hosts of the 2020 final, will now host the 2021 final.

Champions League Schedule

7 August: Last 16 second legs
8 August: Last 16 second legs
12 August: Quarter-final
13 August: Quarter-final
14 August: Quarter-final
15 August: Quarter-final
18 August: Semi-final
19 August: Semi-final
23 August: Final

The Europa League, meanwhile, will resume from 10 August. The remaining last 16 games will be played on 5 and 6 August.

UEFA announced that the Sevilla vs Roma and Getafe vs Inter Milan last 16 ties will be a straight one-legged affair at a yet to be decided venue.

The association is, however, undecided if the return legs of other outstanding last 16 ties, including United’s tie against LASK will take place at the ground of the home team in Germany.

United hold a commanding 5-1 lead from the first-leg in Austria in which Odion Ighalo bagged a brace.

The final will hold on 21 August Cologne, while Gdansk, the original host for the final, will now stage next year’s climax.

All games in both competitions will be played behind closed doors as it stands, but UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin did not rule out the reintroduction of fans.

Europa League Schedule

5 August: Last 16
6 August: Last 16
10 August: Quarter-final
11 August: Quarter-final
16 August: Semi-final
17 August: Semi-final
21 August: Final