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It's Moscow For The Magpies
Written by Newcastle Utd
It has been confirmed that Newcastle's Europa League game away to Anzhi Makhachkala will be played in Moscow
By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Newcastle's Europa League round of 16 first leg tie against Anzhi Makhachkala will take place at the Luzhniki Stadium, home of Spartak Moscow, it has been confirmed.
Due to the current political climate in Dagestan, UEFA do not allow Anzhi to play European games at their own Dynamo Stadium so they have instead used the country's biggest sporting venue throughout the competition.
Kick-off will be 5pm GMT on Thursday, 7th March before St. James' Park hosts the second leg seven days later at 8.05pm.
The 78,360-capacity Luzhniki Stadium has an artificial pitch and has hosted several high profile matches including the 2008 Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United and the 1999 UEFA Cup final between Parma and Marseille, while it was the chief venue for the 1980 Olympic Games.
It will also host games in the 2018 World Cup, meaning the ground will join Wembley stadium, Rome's Stadio Olimpico and Munich's Olympic Stadium as the only stadia to have hosted the finals of the World Cup, European Cup/Champions League and featured as a main stadium of the Summer Olympic Games.