An ongoing downpour has put Manchester United’s Champions League clash with Como on Wednesday at serious risk of postponement.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains,” Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke’ LaLoosh, played by Tim Robbins, tells a reporter in the classic baseball movie Bull Durham.
As self-important as this sport, and this competition, can be everything is at the mercy of Mother Nature. The Italian Air Force Meteorological Service (Meteo AM) warned on Wednesday that there would be “locally intense” rainfall in the Lombardy region, where Como are tucked in beside the lake. Simon Peach of the Press Association reported the risk of 2.5 inches falling before kickoff at 6:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. ET, 9:45 a.m. PT).
The threat of thunderstorms is another issue flagged by the Meteo AM, which could prove to have even more of an impact than the rain. Modern pitches are equipped with state of the art drainage systems to prevent any water-logging. However, the risk of any players or spectators being struck by an electric charge in a metal stadium is not one officials take lightly.
At this summer’s World Cup across North America, several matches were delayed by thunderstorm threats; England’s round of 16 clash with Mexico at the Estadio Azteca was infamously pushed back an hour, forcing fans of the Three Lions back home to stay up into the small hours of the morning to watch a famous victory. Those traveling to Como will also face some issues, even if the match goes ahead.
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An Uneasy Wait for Fans
“We’re used to the rain,” Manchester United boss Michael Carrick, who has a lot more problems on his plate, shrugged. “We’ll make the most of it!” The fans may not feel quite so optimistic.
On top of the uncertainty of whether the weather will have the last say, the people funneling into the Giuseppe Sinigaglia will still bear the brunt of the conditions. Only the central Tribuna is covered, leaving the remaining three stands exposed the elements.
What Would Happen If Champions League Game Is Postponed?
UEFA regulations dictate that any postponed Champions League match should be rescheduled for the following day.
“If it is decided on the day of a match that the match cannot start or cannot be played in full, the full or remaining match time is, as a rule, played the next day, without prejudice to any possible disciplinary measures,” Article 27 states. “For that purpose, the home clubs must conclude all the necessary agreements to ensure that the required facilities are available and can be operated.”
United’s next fixture is a home Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Sunday, which would theoretically allow a match on Thursday—the Cherries are scheduled to play their Europa League fixture with AC Milan on that day. Everyone involved, however, would prefer no emergency rearrangements.
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