Yellow and blue will be the colours and ‘Football Stands Together’ the Premier League’s slogan across this weekend’s fixtures, as the English top-flight rallies behind Ukraine.
With Russia’s bloody invasion continuing to terrorise their neighbours, a league-wide effort to show solidarity with Ukraine will dominate the match-day.
The Premier League themselves will include pro-Ukraine and anti-war messages into TV coverage of the matches in Russia, and could prevent the nation broadcasting next weekend’s fixtures entirely.
In reaction to the Premier League’s pro-Ukrainian move, rights holders in Russian-allied China will not be showing this weekend’s matches.
Back in England, team captains will don yellow and blue armbands while plenty of Ukrainian flags will be visible in the stands, after the ‘Football Stands Together’ are splashed across big screens prior to kick-off.
Here, Sportsmail details the support Premier League clubs themselves are providing to help the war-torn nation.
The Premier League is putting on a show of support for Ukraine as it send an anti-war message
Fans in the grounds have been handed placards and many have brought Ukrainian flags
Leicester
The Foxes were first out on Saturday to welcome Leeds United at the King Power stadium, as they added a splash of yellow to their blue ground.
Both sides gathered around the centre-circle at kick-off for an impeccably-observed minute’s applause to show solidarity with Ukraine, after posing with a ‘Football Stands Together’ banner.
Leicester are making a physical difference too, teaming-up with the British and Ukrainian Red Cross to raise funds and supplies to send to the besieged capital, Kyiv – where locals sheltering underground are running out of essentials.
Leicester and Leeds gathered before kick-off to hold up a banner to support the nation
Burnley
The Clarets welcome Chelsea to Turf Moor on Saturday, and chairman Alan Pace had some words on the Ukraine crisis in his programme notes.
‘The events happening in the world today do throw football into context,’ Pace said. ‘I want to use this column to again send solidarity and support to the people of Ukraine following the devastating scenes that have been unfolding in the country since the Russian invasion.
‘I believe at times like this football has the power to unite and send a clear message. We were proud to welcome members of the local Ukrainian community to Turf Moor this week and I want to send my support to all those affected within the local area.’
Burnley donned warm-up shirts with the words ‘Football Stands United – No War’ across them, after they welcomed Ukrainians from the local area to Turf Moor for the defeat against Leicester in midweek.
There was also a minute’s applause in solidarity with Ukraine before kick-off against Chelsea at Turf Moor.
Burnley will wear special warm-up shirts for their Premier League clash against Chelsea
Southampton
Ralph Hassenhuttl’s side are on the road this weekend but being away from St Mary’s won’t stop them voicing the pro-Ukrainian message.
Travelling fans who arrived in the west country for the clash against Aston Villa found yellow and blue scarves on their seat, after the club had 3,000 made specially.
The Saints combined with their shirt sponsor Sportsbet to make the scarves, who have offices in Kyiv.
And like at Turf Moor, there was also a minute’s applause in support of Ukraine before the game got underway at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
New scarves will await Southampton fans when they arrive at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon
Norwich
Dean Smith’s men are taking on Brentford at Carrow Road on Saturday, and prior to kick-off there were plenty of tributes to Ukraine.
Supporters in attendance were all provided with yellow and blue sheets of paper to raise in solidarity with the country, while some brought their own Ukraine flags and banners to hold aloft.
One young fan was seen with a banner that read ‘Ukraine – We all stand together’.
A minute’s applause was also conducted before Saturday’s match began.
Norwich fans were given yellow and blue sheets of paper to show support for Ukraine
One young Canaries fan brought a banner to express his solidarity with the country
Elsewhere in Europe
As well as in the Premier League, support for Ukraine and calls for an end to the war were seen across German football grounds on Saturday.
During their 4-3 defeat at home to Hansa, Schalke players donned shirts with the message ‘together for peace’ emblazoned across the front, while minute’s silences were held before every Bundesliga fixture.
Prior to Bayern Munich’s clash with Bayer Leverkusen, the message ‘stop the war’ was also displayed on a banner in the centre circle as players carried out their minute’s silence.
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