Crown cases: Leipzig postpones the decision on whether the DFB match will take place

Stand: 14:44 | Reading time: 4 minutes

WA few hours before the kick-off scheduled in Leipzig, Saturday’s Nations League match (20.45, in the WELT sports ticker) is still dangerous due to the crown cases with the opponent Ukraine. Four players and the coach tested positive on Friday.

This was followed by a back and forth on further crown tests with the German opponent. Originally it was supposed to be the morning procedure. Then a news agency reported that the Leipzig health department had carried out further corona tests on Ukrainians on Saturday morning. A statement from the authorities is expected around 12.30. City spokesman Matthias Hasberg confirmed the “Sportbuzzer”: “At noon there will be a decision”.

In the end, however, it seemed that the decision on a possible cancellation could only be made immediately before the expected kick-off. Hasberg has now said that the further set of tests required after five positive crown tests in the Ukrainian team will only take place in the afternoon. Until then, the city will not order a quarantine for the entire team. She managed to ensure that the four players infected with the virus and the manager were not in close contact with the rest of the delegation.

Joachim Löw tried to hide the disturbing news from the enemy as much as possible. The national team coach continued his preparation for Saturday’s match despite a possible cancellation of the match. As confirmed by the DFB, the selection of captain Manuel Neuer started the day with the usual sweat after breakfast in the Leipzig hotel team.

Eagerly awaiting a decision on the event, positive news from the DFB district arrived a few hours before the expected kick-off. When Löw was selected, all tests were again “negative”, the association announced: “This applies to players, coaches and supervisors”. The lab results reached the DFB convoy on Saturday afternoon.

Former Dortmund player Andrej Jarmolenko was among the four players who tested positive, the Ukrainian association confirmed. In the evening, the Ukrainian team’s hotel was isolated by the police. The team was brought back to the center of Leipzig from training with an Italian escort.

Ukraine has already had bad experiences with Corona. Before the first leg against Germany in October, several players were absent from the test in France. The emergency team with the 45-year-old goalkeepers coach as a substitute on the bench were faced 7-1 by the current world champion.

Winning at the green table for Löw’s team?

Uefa has precisely defined the regulation in case of several positive tests on a team. If a team has at least twelve players on the field and a goalkeeper, it must be played. If this is not the case and an alternative date cannot be found, the opponent will be declared the winner at the green table.

If the match fails, the DFB-Elf should be declared the winner by the Uefa disciplinary committee. A realistic alternative date is no longer available. Only if the question of guilt for a refusal cannot be clarified, the lottery will decide on the winner. However: the decision on a possible quarantine for the entire team ultimately rests with the Leipzig Department of Health.

The UEFA regulation in its entirety

1.) If multiple players have to go into quarantine or isolation due to a decision of the competent national / local authority, the match will be played as planned and regardless of any other provision of the respective competition regulations (including the deadline for submitting the player list), as long as 13 players are available (including at least one goalkeeper), provided that all players are eligible to play for the relevant U21 or national team in accordance with applicable FIFA regulations and have tested negative in accordance with Uefa protocol.

2.) If a national association is unable to field a team with the minimum number of players specified above (ie 13, including at least one goalkeeper), the match will be played on one of the UEFA administrations, if possible a fixed date rescheduled; the UEFA administration is also authorized to do so in a place in a neutral country (in the area of ​​a UEFA member association) if it deems it necessary; In any case, the home team remains responsible for organizing the match and for all costs incurred in this regard.

3.) If a match cannot be rescheduled, the UEFA Disciplinary, Ethics and Control Chamber will make a decision. The Uefa Disciplinary, Ethics and Control Chamber requires the National Association, which is responsible for ensuring that the match cannot or cannot be played in full, a forfeit defeat, unless it is concluded that both or neither of the teams are responsible for the fact that the match cannot or cannot take place completely, then a forfeit cannot be awarded. In this case the UEFA administration will decide the result of the match by lot (eg. Victory 1: 0, loss 0: 1 or draw 0: 0).

Here you will find our live ticker with all relevant updates on the crown crisis.