Snowfall buries Moscow in white hours before Lokomotiv-Atletico clash

Representational Picture

A large snowstorm on Thursday covered the Russian capital in white just hours before the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 clash between Lokomotiv Moscow and Atletico Madrid was slated to kick off. Temperatures have been rising in recent days and were hovering around 0 degree Celsius (32 F), yet the city woke up completely covered in snow, which obstructed road traffic and is likely to make it difficult to play football, reported Efe.

After a few days of rest, excavators, tractors and snowplows took to the streets, parks and sidewalks to remove the snow. Employees at the Lokomotiv stadium were expected to use a cover to ensure the playing field would remain in a suitable state. Despite the adverse weather, Atletico's captain Gabi said that the players would adapt to the field's conditions.

On March 4, Lokomotiv played a derby against Spartak Moscow amid a raging blizzard and temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius, as, the Russian Football Union decided not to postpone the match despite the harsh meteorology. Atletico Madrid is the clear favorite to advance to the Europa League's next stage after winning the first leg 3-0.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever