UEFA Champions League: how many times in the history of the league have matches been played without a crowd?

In the UEFA Champions League, all indications are that Chelsea vs Real Madrid will be played behind closed doors. How many times in the history of the league have matches been played without spectators?

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Chelsea vs Real Madrid: how do the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich by the United Kingdom affect?

The fact that this Champions League quarter-final could be played behind closed doors is a consequence of the sanctions against Roman Abramovich. 

The Russian billionaire, who owns Chelsea, has received several sanctions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and one of these sanctions is that the team cannot sell tickets for its supporters or for visiting supporters. 

And for this reason, it is most likely that the Chelsea vs Real Madrid match will be played behind closed doors, due to the impossibility to sell tickets for this Quarter Final match. 

How many times in the history of the league have matches been played without spectators?

In the history of the UEFA Champions League, only on 2 occasions have matches been played behind closed doors and the reason for this was the COVID-19 pandemic, which in 2021 was on the rise. 

The matches that were played without the public were Bayern Munich vs Barcelona, and Red Bulls Leipzig and Manchester City, both played on December 7 and 8 in Germany.

These matches had to be played this way because in 2021 the COVID-19 pandemic was still out of control in Europe and to avoid putting both club supporters and players at risk, it was decided that these matches would be played this way.

The 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League final was able to be played in front of spectators 

It was even feared that last seasons final would be played behind closed doors, but this did not happen as that final between Manchester City and Chelsea did have an audience, but the venue had to be changed.

The match on that occasion was scheduled to be played in Istanbul, however, in December 2021 Turkey was still part of the countries that the British government had added to a red list.

And this red list was actually a list of countries where outbreaks of COVID-19 were out of control, so the change of venue was necessary.

Abramovich sanctions will weigh on Chelsea vs Real Madrid

This time, the reason why the Chelsea vs Real Madrid Quarter Final match will be very different is not due to COVID-19, but to the sanctions weighing on Roman Abramovich.

The United Kingdom imposed on the Russian billionaire several sanctions and even withdrew his permission to run a soccer club. 

And these sanctions affect the club, as Chelsea is not allowed to profit from the sale of merchandise or to carry out operations with players, such as renewing them. 

It is therefore very likely that the team will be without several of its most important players, at least until the sale of the team is finalized and the owner is no longer Roman Abramovich. 

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