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Shakhtar Donetsk to host Champions League matches at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge

ReutersReuters51min ago
Shakhtar Donetsk to host Champions League matches at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge

Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk will play their Champions League league-phase home games at Stamford Bridge after years of displacement caused by the war in Ukraine.

Shakhtar Donetsk will play their home matches in the Champions League's league phase at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge this season, both ​clubs announced on Friday.

The Ukrainian champions have been unable ‌to use their Donbas Arena since Russian-backed forces entered the region in 2014 and were further displaced by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Since ​leaving Donetsk, Shakhtar have played domestic matches in Kyiv and ​Lviv, while hosting European fixtures in Hamburg, Warsaw, Gelsenkirchen, ⁠Krakow and Ljubljana.

The move to London comes after Chelsea failed ​to qualify for European competition following a 10th-placed Premier League finish ​last season, leaving Stamford Bridge available for Shakhtar's Champions League campaign.

"We are grateful to Chelsea Football Club for the opportunity to host our games at this ​special venue," Shakhtar said in a statement.

"Stamford Bridge is one ​of the most famous stadiums in world football, with an incredible history and ‌atmosphere.

"We ⁠are convinced that Shakhtar's matches in London will provide unforgettable emotions for Ukrainian and English fans."

Chelsea were formerly owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who was sanctioned by the UK government following Moscow's invasion ​of Ukraine in ​2022, triggering the ⁠sale of the club to a group led by American investor Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

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