Way clear for Dublin decider

THE prospect of a European club final at the new Lansdowne Road in 2011 is a step closer to becoming a reality.

Senior UEFA sources have indicated that Wembley Stadium is set to be named next week as the venue for the 2011 Champions League final. The new stadium at Lansdowne Road had been in a shortlist of three candidates to host the final of the Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup) in the same year, along with Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and the National Stadium in Bucharest.

But since the two club finals cannot be staged in the same county, confirmation of the Champions League going to Wembley would mean that the Emirates would have to drop out of the running in the bid for the Europa League final.

That would leave Dublin up against Bucharest, with the new stadium at Lansdowne Road now considered the favourite to get the nod.

In the battle for the Champions’ League Final, Wembley faces twin competition from Germany – Munich’s Allianz Arena or Berlin’s Olympiastadion – but sources have confirmed it will almost certainly go to London.

UEFA have already delayed a decision on the 2011 venue to allow the British Government time to push through an exemption on tax rules for the players appearing in the final.

The final decision will be taken at UEFA’s executive committee meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, on Thursday and Friday of next week.