Arsenal have released a strongly-worded statement regarding the lowly allocation they have been given for the Europa League final
Arsenal play Chelsea in the Europa League final on May 29th in Azerbaijan’s Baku Olympic Stadium. As it stands, only 6,000 of their fans will be in attendance due to UEFA’s controversial division of the matchday tickets.
As reported earlier in the week, more tickets are going to corporate hospitality than they are to the supporters of the two clubs contesting the final.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal are receiving just 6,000 tickets each of the 64,000 total capacity.
That’s 12,000 between them, compared to the 14,500 that are going to corporate hospitality and commercial partners.
According to UEFA, the remaining 37,500 will be distributed via ballot for the ‘football family’.
Arsenal stated last week that they were in discussions to increase their ticket allocation but seem to have failed to make any breakthrough with UEFA.
As a result, the club has now published a statement urging the European football union to ‘ensure that supporter logistics and requirements are a key part of any future decisions for final venues’.
It also calls the allocation this season ‘unacceptable’ and describes themselves as ‘bitterly disappointed’ by the 6,000 tickets, something they insist ‘cannot be repeated’.
You can read the statement in full below.
Strong statement from Arsenal regarding the Europa League Final: pic.twitter.com/tO2gk4n1Ba
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) May 16, 2019
Whilst Chelsea have yet to officially comment on the ticket allocation, they have bad news themselves following Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s injury during a charity friendly the Blues played in the US on Wednesday night.
The 23-year-old midfielder pulled up in the first half after appearing to rupture his Achilles tendon and left the stadium on crutches with his foot and ankle in a protective boot.
Arsenal could also be without a regular first-team player in the form of winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose participation is also in doubt as Arsenal continue to seek assurances over his security while in Azerbaijan due to the hostilities the country has with his country of birth, Armenia.
