Atletico and Chelsea head to Bucharest for Champions League fixture

The first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea will take place in Bucharest, UEFA confirmed on Wednesday.

Chelsea were scheduled to travel to the Spanish capital to face Diego Simeone’s side at the Wanda Metropolitano on February 23. 

However, due to travel restrictions on incoming flights to Spain amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the fixture could not take place as planned in Madrid. 

The two clubs will now head instead to Romania, with UEFA announcing the Arena Nationala has been agreed upon as a neutral venue. 

“UEFA would like to express its gratitude to Atletico Madrid and Chelsea for their support and close cooperation, as well as the Romanian Football Federation for their assistance and agreeing to stage the match,” the governing body said in a statement. 

Chelsea are the latest Premier League club to see a change of location for an upcoming European fixture due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Liverpool will take on Champions League opponents RB Leipzig in Budapest on February 16, with the same location also staging Borussia Monchengladbach against Manchester City the following week. 

In the last 32 of the Europa League, Manchester United head to Turin for the first leg against Real Sociedad on February 18, the same day Arsenal are in Rome to start their tie against Benfica.