Crystal Palace: UEFA issue statement on AEK Larnaca game amid Middle East situation | OneFootball

Eagles face Conference League trip to Cyrpus, where drone hit RAF base

UEFA have confirmed Crystal Palace’s Conference League game away to AEK Larnaca is still scheduled to go ahead as planned despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Palace are set to travel to Cyprus to take on AEK Larnaca in the second leg of their last-16 tie on March 19.

However, concerns were raised around the game after a drone hit an RAF base in Akrotiri in Cyprus on Sunday.

Two additional drones headed for the military base were intercepted on Monday, while an alarm was raised at Paphos Airport after a suspected drone was spotted in the airspace.

Crystal Palace and AEK Larnaca met in the league phase of the Conference League in October

Getty Images

EasyJet then cancelled all flights in and out of Cyprus on Monday, though flights have now resumed.

The attack on the RAF base in Akrotiri came after the UK agreed to a US request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told Parliament on Monday that British bases in Cyprus are not being used by US bombers, and added that the strike on the RAF base in Akrotiri was not in response to any decision that the UK government had taken in response to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

A UEFA spokesperson has said they are closely monitoring the situation, with all games set to take place in Europe over the upcoming weeks scheduled to go ahead.

"UEFA is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with participating teams and local authorities where necessary,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“All matches due to take place in Europe in the upcoming weeks are currently planned to be played as scheduled.”