Arsenal are exploring alternative venues for their Europa League last-32 tie with Benfica, which looks unlikely to be played in England or Portugal given strict Covid-19 quarantine regulations.
The UK government has placed Portugal on a “red list” for international travel, meaning anyone arriving in the UK from that country is required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days. That is obviously impractical for Arsenal when they return from the first leg, scheduled to take place in Lisbon on 18 February, and similarly for Benfica’s hopes of playing at the Emirates a week later.
Previously in the pandemic, elite sports players have been granted an exemption to quarantine rules. However, the UK government has no plans to allow one this time given the gravity of the public health situation and its stance is that, to avoid the period of self-isolation, the tie will have to take place in a country to which movement is less limited.
Arsenal are understood to have made preliminary contact with other national associations about the possibility of playing on their territory, although they still hope to find a resolution that maintains the status quo. The government is mindful of the volume of cross-continental football to be played in February and March, when a busy international break takes place, and accepts the Covid-19 picture could change quickly. There is little appetite, though, to make further exceptions for football and the clubs face a race against time to find a new venue.
Uefa permits such a switch under a set of special rules for Covid-19 conditions it created for this season’s tournaments. It is incumbent on the home club to find a location for each leg under those regulations, although discussions between Arsenal and Benfica are likely to be fluid. Arsenal remain in dialogue with the Football Association and Premier League, as well as the department for digital, culture, media and sport.
Arsenal host Manchester United on Saturday and hope to secure a sixth win in seven top-flight games. Mikel Arteta said he has not decided whether Martin Ødegaard, signed on loan from Real Madrid this week, would be involved.
He must also wait to see whether Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is able to return. The captain missed back-to-back FA Cup and league games at Southampton because of his mother’s health problems, a situation that has improved. Arteta would not confirm whether Aubameyang travelled abroad and, as such, whether quarantine or Covid-19 tests could be an issue.
“We’re doing everything we can to have him as quickly as possible, but understanding that he’s been through a difficult few days, that he had to support his family and we were here to support him as well with the time that he needed to get that sorted,” the manager said.