UEFA are set to complete the Champions League with a ‘Final Eight’ tournament held over 11 days in Lisbon, according to a plan which will be presented to their executive committee for ratification tomorrow.
Under the plan the competition, which was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, will resume with the second-leg of remaining last 16 games played at the scheduled venues.
The single leg quarter-final games will be played in Lisbon on four straight days from Aug. 12-15.
The semi-finals will take place on Aug. 18 and 19 and the final on Aug. 23 in the Portuguese capital.
The plan allows for a quicker completion of the season than the traditional two-legged home and away format but does mean the competition will have six fewer games which will cost UEFA broadcast revenue.
Lisbon was the losing candidate in May 2018 when UEFA picked Istanbul to host this season’s Champions League final. Now, it will host seven games instead of one.
The most valuable trophy in club soccer will be decided in a rare Sunday final at Benfica’s Stadium of Light. It was originally to be on Saturday, May 30 at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, but UEFA looked elsewhere when that city was no longer practical.
Semifinals will be shared by the Stadium of Light and the nearby home stadium of Sporting Lisbon on Aug. 18-19. Four quarterfinals are planned on consecutive nights from Aug. 12-15, Sky Italia reported.
