Moscow bids to host Champions League final

MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - Moscow has submitted a bid to host the Champions League final in 2008 or 2009, Russia's soccer chief Vitaly Mutko said on Friday.

"Yesterday, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov signed all the required documents and we have already submitted them to UEFA," the president of the Russian Football Union told Reuters.

Mutko said the 84,000-seat Luzhniki Olympic Stadium would host the final of Europe's premier club competition if it was awarded to the Russian capital.

The Stade de France in Paris will stage this year's final and the Olympic Stadium in Athens will host the 2007 showpiece.

"It's about time that Moscow should host the final of UEFA's premier club championship. It's been long overdue," Mutko said.

"We have all the necessary tools for it, we have the stadium, the will of Moscow's leadership and the people to do the job."