Skip to main content

Sub-zero conditions threaten Europa ties

Two round of 32 second-leg matches are scheduled to be played in Russia on Thursday with temperatures expected to be hovering around minus 15 Celsius, considered the safe minimum under FIFA and UEFA guidelines.

Last week, Dutch champions Twente Enschede played under protest away to Rubin Kazan amid confusion over the real temperature.

Tijs Tummers, secretary of the technical committee at the international players' union FIFPro, told Reuters there had been discrepancies in readings.

"On all thermometers the temperature was minus 16 or minus 17, only the thermometer of UEFA gave a temperature of 14.9 Celsius," he said.

"FC Twente and UEFA have agreed to evaluate the procedure of last week to prevent problems like this happening in the future."

Kenny Dalgish's team barely mustered a shot on goal last week in Prague against a side who, like many of the eastern European teams, had been inactive for the previous two months due to the winter break.

Former European champions Ajax Amsterdam should cruise through, having won 3-0 at Anderlecht in the first leg, as should Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, who have a 4-0 lead at home to Metalist Kharkiv.

Big-spending Manchester City take a 0-0 scoreline into their home leg following last week's stalemate away to Greeks Aris Salonika.