UEFA vice-president Michele Uva confirms they have prepared ‘alternative solutions’ to Camp Nou for the Champions League game with Napoli if Barcelona’s COVID-19 cases continue to spike.
The first leg of the Round of 16 ended 1-1 at the Stadio San Paolo in February.
The second leg is due to be played at Camp Nou on August 8 behind closed doors.
However, there has been a recent surge in coronavirus cases in the Barcelona area and new social distancing restrictions imposed.
UEFA vice-president Michele Uva confirms they have prepared ‘alternative solutions’ to Camp Nou for the Champions League game with Napoli if Barcelona’s COVID-19 cases continue to spike.
The first leg of the Round of 16 ended 1-1 at the Stadio San Paolo in February.
The second leg is due to be played at Camp Nou on August 8 behind closed doors.
However, there has been a recent surge in coronavirus cases in the Barcelona area and new social distancing restrictions imposed.
Although not a mandatory lockdown, the regional government in Barcelona has urged residents to stay home and not gather in groups of more than 10.
On Thursday, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the city surged by 1,300.
“Napoli are officially going to play in Barcelona, unless in the meantime there should be rules made to stop football being played in Spain,” UEFA vice-president Uva told Radio Punto Nuovo.
“We hope that won’t happen, so the second legs will be played in the hometowns of the clubs. Obviously, there are alternative solutions.”
If it should be considered unsafe to play in Catalunya, then it’s likely the second leg would be played on neutral turf in Portugal.
Lisbon will host all the remaining Champions League fixtures from the quarter-finals onwards, in a set of one-off elimination games.