Real Madrid can host Liverpool in Spain after flight restrictions lifted

Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final first leg at home to Liverpool in April will not have to be moved abroad after the Spanish government said on Tuesday it would lift restrictions on flights from Britain at the end of this month.

The restrictions began in December over concerns about a British strain of COVID-19 and forced Atletico Madrid to play the home leg of its last-16 tie against Chelsea in Bucharest.

Real Sociedad had to face Manchester United in Turin rather than its home city of San Sebastian for their Europa League last-32 first leg.

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Spain's government said the restrictions will come to an end on March 30, meaning Real can welcome Liverpool to their Alfredo di Stefano training ground on April 6.

Granada can also host Manchester United in its Europa League quarter-final first leg at the Spanish club's Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium on April 8.

Atletico lost its 'home' leg against Chelsea in Bucharest 1-0 and was knocked out 3-0 on aggregate, while Real Sociedad was hammered 4-0 by Manchester United in Turin, eventually exiting the Europa League by the same scoreline on aggregate.

Other countries imposed similar restrictions on travel from Britain leading to Manchester City and Borussia Moenchengladbach moving both legs of its last-16 encounter to Budapest with Liverpool and RB Leipzig doing the same for their tie.