Europe’s football governing body, UEFA, is planning to remove former Super Eagles forward Victor Moses’ Russian club Spartak Moscow from this season’s Europa League following the invasion of Ukraine, Sky Sports reports.
Spartak Moscow have been drawn to play German side RB Leipzig in the last 16, with the reverse tie billed for March 17.
No official confirmation has been made by UEFA.
Discussions are ongoing about whether Leipzig will get a bye through to the quarter-finals, or if another team will be re-instated to play them.
Commenting on the development, Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff in a statement said: “We continue to be in close contact with the associations and have complete confidence in UEFA and their decision. We assume the games will be cancelled.”
Spartak Moscow qualified to the knockout stages after winning Group C.
Also, in a statement by the English FA, England, Scotland and Wales will not play Russia in football matches at any level “for the foreseeable future”, including any team recognised as the ‘Football Union of Russia’.
The decision has been made “out of solidarity with Ukraine and to wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities being committed by the Russian leadership”.
This also includes playing against any side under the guise of ‘Football Union of Russia’, after FIFA set out a series of measures in response to the ongoing crisis.
