Stamford Bridge could host a Ukrainian Premier League fixture later this season, according to The Athletic. The top flight in Ukraine got back underway in August despite Russia's invasion of the country.
Games are being played behind closed doors, and Shakhtar Donetsk have been playing their Champions League home games in Warsaw, Poland. Shakhtar are set to face Dynamo Kyiv on Sunday, and the game will be played behind closed doors, although attempts were made to play the game in England.
According to the report, the idea was to allow English football fans to show their support for Ukraine, while it also would have allowed the country's two biggest teams to play the game with supporters in attendance. A request was submitted to Chelsea about playing the game at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues playing away at Aston Villa on the same day.
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However, even though Todd Boehly and those at Chelsea were keen to make it work, they felt there wasn't enough time to prepare for the fixture and to sell tickets. However, it's believed the Blues have offered to host the return fixture on April 22, 2023, when Chelsea are playing away at Manchester United.
There could also be other options to play the fixture in April. The Ukrainians explored the possibility of playing the game this weekend at West Ham United's London Stadium and Loftus Road, the home of Queens Park Rangers. The report states that talks to host the game at the London Stadium 'slowed' following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, while it wasn't possible to arrange the game at Loftus Road within the tight timeframe.
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