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Manchester United scrap plans to set training camps in Middle East amid tensions

WION Web Team
Manchester, Manchester, Great Britain (UK)Updated: Jan 15, 2020, 11:38 AM IST
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Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Photograph:(Reuters)

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The players are also asked not to go to the Middle East for vacationing during the days off at the start of next month before the beginning of the training camp.

The Red Devils' have decided not to travel to Qatar amidst heightened tensions after Irani General Qassem Soleimani was killed in drone strikes executed by the United States.

Also read: FA cup: Solskjaer needs time to make lasting impact at Manchester United - Guardiola

The players are also asked not to go to the Middle East for vacationing during the days off at the start of next month before the beginning of the training camp.

Also read: Qatari emir in Iran: 'De-escalation is the only solution'

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “I am going to give them a few days off. I don’t know where they will all scatter around but we will stay in Europe.

“If there is one thing that worries me it’s not on the football pitch, there are other things that worry me more than football.

Solskjaer plans to set the training camp in Europe that has a more settled climate than what Manchester has to offer.

“We were looking at the Middle East but that is not going to happen.”

This is a big blow for Qatar which is the venue for the World Cup in 2022. The fear of countries backing out to play the World Cup if the tensions remain scares the Arabs. The United States have already dumped their plans to train in Qatar.

Manchester United were looking forward to being in Qatar because of the weather and the highly-rated Aspire sports arena.

Stadiums in Qatar which will host the World Cup are designed based on its respective cities tradition.

Aspire sports Arena is the largest indoor multi-purpose dome in Qatar.

Qatar has already been surrounded by a lot of controversies regarding the hosting of the World Cup.