Manchester United's Champions League match against Como in northern Italy is under threat of postponement due to severe thunderstorms, with an orange weather alert issued by Italian authorities. The Red Devils have already travelled to Lombardy, and Michael Carrick completed press duties on Tuesday ahead of the scheduled evening kick-off.
UEFA's Rescheduling Rules
UEFA's regulations, outlined in Article 27 of the Champions League rules, state that if a match cannot start or be completed on the scheduled day, the remaining time is typically played the next day. This was demonstrated in 2016 when Manchester City's group stage match against Borussia Monchengladbach was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday due to weather conditions.
Even under extreme circumstances, UEFA has historically pushed matches back by just one day. In April 2017, Borussia Dortmund's Champions League quarter-final against AS Monaco was delayed by 24 hours after the team bus was attacked by bombs. Dortmund lost the first leg 3-2 and were eliminated after a 3-1 defeat in the second leg.
Potential New Date for the Fixture
Manchester United are not scheduled to play again in the Premier League until Sunday, when they host Bournemouth at Old Trafford. This would allow sufficient rest if the match were moved to Thursday. However, Como are due to face Sassuolo on Saturday, meaning a Thursday postponement would create further scheduling complications for the Italian side.
UEFA would likely push for the game to be played on Thursday if it is postponed on Tuesday evening. The regulations also include a provision for the match to be rescheduled later in the season, stating: "If the match cannot be rescheduled for the next day, the UEFA administration fixes a new date. This may entail exceptions to the regular match calendar."
Later Rescheduling Options
Manchester United have a free midweek next week following their early Carabao Cup exit to Brighton, but Como are scheduled to play Torino in Serie A on Tuesday, October 27. The following week brings the next round of Champions League fixtures, followed by an international break in early November.
When club football resumes, Manchester United have no free midweeks until the fifth round of Champions League matches on November 24 and 25. The Premier League's congested December schedule follows, though the Red Devils do have one free midweek between a trip to Crystal Palace and a home match against Arsenal.
Como, however, will be on their Italian winter break from December 19 to January 3. Despite this, UEFA could order the match to take place during the week commencing December 21, which would be the last viable window before the winter break.
