Event Notes: Madrid, Baku Bidding To Host 2019 Champions League Final

Madrid and Baku, Azerbaijan, are the two cities bidding to host the 2019 Champions League final, UEFA said on Wednesday. Wanda Metropolitano, the new home of Atlético Madrid, and Baku National Stadium will "compete for the right to stage the showpiece match." The two countries also hope to host the Europa League. A decision on the venue will be made by UEFA's exec committee on Sept. 21 (REUTERS, 6/7).

Lionel Messi will start in Friday's friendly against Brazil at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, "as tension rises in the Argentina camp." New Argentina Manager Jorge Sampaoli ordered a FIFA World Cup-style lockdown on Wednesday as he "conducted his first session with the entire 26-man squad" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/8).

Next year's edition of the Badminton World Federation World Junior Championships will be held in Toronto at Markham Pan Am Centre. It will be the second time in four years the event will be staged in the Pan-American region. Canada previously hosted the BWF World Junior Championships in '04 in Richmond (BWF).