Europa League final: Arsenal ‘bitterly disappointed’ at UEFA’s ticket allocation as club work with Foreign Office after fans are denied visas

Europa League final: Arsenal ‘bitterly disappointed’ at UEFA’s ticket allocation as club work with Foreign Office after fans are denied visas
Arsenal are working with the Foreign Office after season-ticket holders with dual British and Armenian citizenship were denied visas to travel to Baku for the Europa League final.The Gunners face Premier League rivals Chelsea in the Azerbaijani capital on May 29 – but the decision to host the fixture in Baku’s Olympic Stadium has thrown up plenty of issues since the two London clubs qualified last week.Getty1

UEFA have been criticised over their decision to choose Baku’s Olympic Stadium as the final venue

Hostility remains between neighbouring countries Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region, where a ceasefire was declared in 1994 after fighting erupted several years earlier.Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan, captain of the Armenia national team, missed the Europa League group game against Qarabag in Baku earlier this season because of the issue.The club are now liaising with UEFA in the hope safety measures can be put in place to allow the 30-year-old to travel for the final as part of Unai Emery’s squad.Now some supporters face the same issue, with several British-Armenian season-ticket holders not being granted entry into Azerbaijan.It is understood Arsenal are now in talks with the Foreign Office in an attempt to ease the situation. Arsenal and Chelsea have already declared their disappointment at the ticket allocation for the final, with both clubs receiving in the region of 6,000 tickets each for a stadium which has a full capacity of 69,870.Travel to Baku, which lies further east than Baghdad and Riyadh, is also proving an issue for those fans who have qualified for a match ticket.Only seven miles separates the London teams’ stadiums, but their fans must embark on a 2,500-mile trip to attend the game.An Arsenal statement on that issue read: “We are bitterly disappointed by the fact that due to transport limitations UEFA can only make a maximum of 6,000 tickets available to Arsenal for a stadium with a capacity of well over 60,000. Time will tell if it is even possible for 6,000 Arsenal fans to attend the match, given how extreme the travel challenges are.

LIVE ON talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...

• Portsmouth vs Sunderland (Thursday, 7:45pm) talkSPORT 2
• Charlton vs Doncaster (Friday, 7:45pm) talkSPORT 2
• Manchester City vs Watford (Saturday, 5pm) talkSPORT

“We have 45,000 season ticket holders and for so many fans to miss out due to UEFA selecting a final venue with such limited transport provision is quite simply not right. The reality is that whoever reached the final would not be able to meet demand from their supporters.“We would like to understand the criteria by which venues are selected for finals, and also how supporter requirements are taken into account as part of this. Moving forward we would urge UEFA to ensure that supporter logistics and requirements are a key part of any future decisions for final venues as what has happened this season is unacceptable and cannot be repeated.”There are only three scheduled flights per week between London and Baku, but all seats are sold out in the days before and after the match – other non-direct flights can take over 10 hours.Driving the distance would take upwards of 50 hours behind the wheel, while a train journey could last as long as four days.

---

Arsenal have said it is "quite simply not right" that so many of their supporters will be unable to attend the Europa League final due to Uefa's decision to host the match in Baku.

---

Arsenal have called on UEFA to explain its decision to stage the Europa League final in Baku - labelling the current situation as "unacceptable" as fans continue to try and find a way of getting
Arsenal fans denied visas for Europa League final as Gunners

---

Europa League final: Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' at UEFA

---

Europa League final: Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' at UEFA's ticket allocation as club work with Foreign Office after fans are denied visas Arsenal are working with the Foreign Office after season-ticket holders with dual British and Armenian citizenship were denied visas to travel to Baku for the talkSPORT 2 days ago: Liverpool
Arsenal furious at Europa League final in Baku: 'It is

---

statement Both Arsenal and their opponents Chelsea have been given just 6,000 tickets for the final, despite it taking place in the almost 70,000-capacity Baku Olympic Stadium Arsenal are working with the Foreign Office after season-ticket holders with dual British and Armenian citizenship were denied visas to travel to Baku for the Europa League final.…
Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' over Europa League final

---

Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' over Europa League final tickets The club are liaising with the Foreign Office as dual British and Armenian citizens have been denied visas to travel to Baku
Arsenal want UEFA explanation after 'unacceptable' Europa

---

Arsenal fans denied visas for Europa League final as Gunners demand answers from UEFA. Arsenal face Chelsea in the final in Baku on May 29 with both clubs given an allocation of just 6,000 tickets
Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' over Europa League final
allmysportsnews.com/soccer/arsenal-bitterly-disappointed-over-europa-league-final-venue-choice/
Arsenal say they are 'bitterly disappointed' by the venue for the Europa League final (above) The Gunners have released a statement voicing their concerns about the issues fans are facing Only seven miles separates the London teams' stadiums, but their fans must embark on a 2,500-mile trip to attend the game.
Arsenal news : Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' over Europa

---

Arsenal have admitted they are 'bitterly disappointed' by the mounting challenges their fans are facing in reaching the Europa League final.The Gunners are set to play rivals Chelsea in the
Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool fans angry at 'disgraceful' Uefa

---

Europa League final: Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' at UEFA's ticket allocation as club work with Foreign Office after fans are denied visas. at the ticket allocation for the final
Europa League final: Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' at UEFA
sports.weblife24.com/europa-league-final-arsenal-bitterly-disappointed-at-uefas-ticket-allocation-as-club-work-with-foreign-off/
Europa League final: Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' at UEFA's ticket allocation as club work with Foreign Off statement Both Arsenal and their opponents Chelsea have been given just 6,000 tickets for the final, despite it taking place in the almost 70,000-capacity Baku Olympic Stadium
Europa League final: Arsenal 'bitterly disappointed' at UEFA