How the Eurovision Song Contest has impacted Manchester City and Real Madrid’s fixture schedule

The upcoming Eurovision Song Contest has had an impact on the scheduling of fixtures concerning Manchester City and Real Madrid, according to a new report.

The reigning Premier League giants will face the Champions League experts at the final-four stage of Europe’s premier club competition for the second successive season next month, with a spot in a showpiece Istanbul-hosted final up for grabs.

The winner of the clash between Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti’s respective teams will go on to face a Serie A side in the June final, with Inter Milan and AC Milan going head-to-head across two-legs at the San Siro in the other semi-final.

However, in the run-up to the contest, a new report has revealed that UEFA and the Premier League were left scrambling for options due to Merseyside Police’s refusal to sanction a particular date for a Manchester City Premier League contest with Everton – due to the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool.

That is according to the information of The Sun’s Charlie Wyett, who has now revealed that UEFA had initially wanted the Champions League semi-final first-leg between Real Madrid and Manchester City to be played on May 10, meaning the game at the Etihad Stadium was to be staged on Tuesday, May 16.

Such a schedule would have meant moving Everton’s contest with Manchester City at Goodison Park back from Sunday, May 14 to the Saturday – in order to give a three-day gap between matches.

However, Merseyside Police reportedly refused to sanction the game being staged on the Saturday, due to a clash with the Eurovision Song Contest – which is set to be hosted in Liverpool at the same time.

Subsequently, UEFA were forced into switching around the semi-final dates, and forcing the Premier League into moving the match between Manchester City and Leeds United to a Saturday 3PM kick-off, broadcast live on Sky Sports and breaching the traditional 3PM black-out.

Manchester City have also since reached the final of the Emirates FA Cup, after dismissing of Championship runners-up Sheffield United 3-0 at Wembley Stadium, booking a meeting with Manchester United in the final on June 3.

As such, Manchester City’s run-in currently contains 10 games running through to June, which could extend to 11 should they progress past Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final.

Manchester City’s remaining fixtures:

• Fulham (A), 30/04
• West Ham United (H), 03/05
• Leeds United (H), 06/05
• Real Madrid (A), 09/05
• Everton (A), 14/05
• Real Madrid (H), 17/05
• Chelsea (H), 21/05
• Brighton & Hove Albion (A), 24/05
• Brentford (A), 28/05
• Manchester United (N), 03/06