February 5 – Covid restrictions have barred Liverpool from travelling to Germany next week for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against RB Leipzig, prompting a frantic search for a solution.
Border restrictions imposed over new variants of the coronavirus led to the German Interior Ministry refusing an application by Leipzig for special permission for Liverpool to enter the country since the only exceptions are for German citizens or residents.
“The Corona Protection Order agreed by the federal government last Friday envisions only a few exceptions and no special arrangement for professional athletes,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The federal police has told the RB Leipzig club today that the circumstances of the given case do not meet the requirements for an exemption.”
Leipzig could now ask UEFA to move the game to a neutral venue or potentially reverse the home and away legs but that would likely require Leipzig’s players and staff to go into quarantine on their return to Germany from Britain.
UEFA has provided some leeway by allowing last-16 games affected by travel bans to be extended to April 2 but Leipzig must put forward an alternative option, which could also be turning the two-legged tie into a single tie after negotiations with Liverpool, by Monday.
The German blockade is set to end on February 17 but if it is extended, Manchester City’s first-leg trip to play Borussia Mönchengladbach on February 24 could also be affected.
Meanwhile in the Europa League, Arsenal’s home and away games against Benfica may be hit by British restrictions on travel to and from Portugal.
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