Red Bull Arena in Leipzig▶ Click here to enlarge
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The first leg of the European Football Federation (UEFA) Champions League (UCL) Round of 16, which was scheduled to be held in Leipzig, Germany, was blocked as the away team Liverpool (England) was denied entry in accordance with the entry ban related to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). I got it.
German dpa news agency reported on the 4th (local time) that the Leipzig team, ahead of the 2020-2021 UCL Round of 16, home game, asked the authorities to allow the away team Liverpool squad to enter the country, but was denied.
Liverpool, who placed first in Group D in the UCL group stage, and Leipzig, who placed second in Group H, were scheduled to play the first leg of the round of 16 at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena on the 16th of this month (5 am KST).
However, it emerged as a variable that Germany banned entry from countries where the COVID-19 mutant virus has spread from the 30th of last month until the 17th of this month.
Some exceptions are allowed, such as residents of Germany and workers in essential sectors such as medical care, but the German government judges that participation in soccer matches does not fall under this category.
“There are only a few exceptions to the rules in effect last week. There are no special rules for professional athletes,” a German government official told dpa news agency. “The federal police told the Leipzig club that this game is not an exceptional situation. I informed.”
Accordingly, the Leipzig team is in a position to find an alternative.
The dpa news agency explained that’hosting a neutral area’ could be an option.
It could be considered to swap locations for the first and second games and play the first game in Liverpool, which was originally scheduled for the second game on March 10, but Bild, Germany, said Liverpool was negative.
If Leipzig does not come up with a plan to host a home game, the game may be forfeited (0-3).
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