The Spanish government have confirmed travel restrictions between Britain and Spain will be lifted from March 30; Liverpool will now face Real Madrid in Spain, albeit not at the Santiago Bernabeu; similar restrictions saw Liverpool face RB Leipzig in Budapest in the last-16
Tuesday 23 March 2021 17:02, UK
Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid will be played in Spain after the Spanish government confirmed it would lift travel restrictions from Britain at the end of March.
The match will take place at Real Madrid Castilla's Alfredo Di Stefano ground on April 6, rather than the Santiago Bernabeu which is undergoing redevelopment work.
Restrictions between Spain and Britain were originally imposed in December following concerns of a new, more virulent variant of COVID-19.
However, the Spanish government confirmed on Tuesday that those measures will be eased on March 30.
The travel ban between Spain and Britain forced Atletico Madrid to play the 'home leg' of their Champions League last-16 tie against Chelsea in Bucharest.
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad had to face Manchester United in their Europa League last-32 first leg in the Italian city of Turin rather than at their home in San Sebastian.
Tuesday's announcement will mean Manchester United will be able to travel to face Granada in their Europa League quarter-final first leg at the Spanish club's Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium on April 8.
Other European countries had imposed travel restrictions from Britain, including Germany, with both legs of Liverpool's last-16 tie against RB Leipzig moved to Budapest.
Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach also had both matches of their last-16 tie moved to the Hungarian capital.
