War, the Champions League final and Gazprom: the perverse triangle that threatens the football of the rich

• Zinchenko The captain of Ukraine wishes Putin "the most painful of deaths"

• Euroleague The three matches of the day with Russian teams are suspended, including Zenit-Barça

War and football have a complex relationship throughout history.

In the case of the conflict unleashed after the military operation ordered by

on Ukraine, another element as global as war and football is added to compose a perverse triangle: money.

The specific actors, in addition to the conflict initiated by Russia, are the Champions League final in Saint Petersburg and the main sponsor of the event and UEFA, Gazprom.

Any outbreak of war affects modern sport by its nature, as it is one of the most international activities that exist, and the one started in Ukraine is no exception, with cancellations of matches and championships, diplomatic support for local athletes and organization of repatriations.

However, this case places the most global of its modalities, football, in the face of its enormous economic dependencies.

Salary escalation has led a good number of clubs and federations to depend on the capital that emanates from the great reserves of energy resources on the planet, not only from the countries of the Persian Gulf, but also from Russia.

The ways are the entry into the social capital or the purchase of equipment and sponsorships.

In cases like that of Chelsea, both occur, as it is owned by

and have the Russian energy giant as the main sponsor.

The sanctions against companies and businessmen taken in Great Britain will affect them directly.

40 MILLION A YEAR

Gazprom, however, is not only the sponsor of the English club, among other teams, but since 2012 it is one of the main partners of UEFA, organizer of the Champions League and the Europa League.

It contributes about 40 million euros per year.

This year, moreover, should have been the one with the greatest impact for the brand, as the Champions League final was held on May 28 at the Krestovski Stadium, where Zenit Saint Petersburg, another of the teams sponsored by the brand, usually plays. .

The name of the venue has been the subject of controversy due to its financing fees, although it is also known as Gazprom Arena.

Boris Johnson

, still marked by his weakened credibility after 'Partygate' and already outside the discipline of the European Union, was the first leader to ask that the final be relocated, due to the situation created by Putin.

The invasion, finally, has made voices join in Western politics, even in the Spanish Parliament, although it is up to UEFA, organizer of the tournament, to make decisions.

The body will address the situation, this Friday, in its Executive Committee, prepared to take alternative measures as necessary.

Facing the immobility of the past,

It was the first major sports institution to react when the pandemic broke out to postpone the European Championship or move, with little time, the last two Champions League finals due to the contagion rates in Istanbul.

The speed will depend on how the situation evolves in the coming days and the possible sanctions that occur within the framework of the EU or the UN.

CEFERIN AND THE BALKANS

Hours after the invasion, UEFA announced its intention to address the situation in a statement.

Later, he published a harsher one in which he expressed his "firm condemnation of the military invasion", while sharing "the international community's concern for the security situation in Europe".

Given its compromised situation and its commercial interests, it represented a sufficiently clear position for UEFA, from which the implementation of alternative venues follows, although it does not seem feasible that they be announced, today, after the Executive.

Ceferin, a Slovenian, is particularly sensitive to the conflict, given his vivid recollection of the Balkan War.

, a member of the Executive Committee since 2021 and president of the Russian Football Union since 2019 , should attend this Friday's meeting in Nyón, UEFA's headquarters.

He presided over Zenit until 2017 and is, in turn, president of Gazprom Neft, one of the verticals of the energy giant.

He was replaced at the head of the Russian club by the current vice president of the company,

.

If there were to be a change in the venue of the final, it is clear that this would mean a crisis in Gazprom's relationship with UEFA, on which there is already pressure, also, to break his contract.

It's not the only one.

The German Schalke 04, another of the clubs sponsored by the energy company, announced that it was withdrawing the sponsor from its shirt "in view of the events, development and escalation of recent days."

THE OLIGARCHS AND FOOTBALL

Pressure is also increasing on Chelsea and, personally, on Abramovich to leave the country, although the businessman, a Jew, also acquired Israeli nationality some time ago.

The tycoon, linked to oil, sold his company (Sibneft) to the energy giant in 2005 and took the name of Gazprom Neft, currently chaired by Dyukov.

Abramovich is, therefore, trapped in the circle of power and money protected by Putin, who respected the space of the oligarchs who grew after the dismemberment of the USSR in exchange for contributing to the growth of his megalomaniac project, half 'soviet', half tsarist , for the great Russia.

It will be difficult for Chelsea to face the pressures and sanctions, as Great Britain is one of the most belligerent countries institutionally with Putin and the quickest in sanctions, along with its ally,

.

Boris Johnson went further than the American and literally called Putin "dictator".

Something similar is happening to Manchester United, which signed with the airline Aeroflot, which has already been banned from operating on British soil, and which is considering announcing the breakup of its commercial relationship.

Everyone loses in war, also football.

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