Champions League: UEFA say Atletico Madrid v RB Leipzig match 'to be played as scheduled'
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UEFA on Monday said that the Champions League quarter-final match between Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig is “planned to be played as scheduled” on Thursday despite two of the members at the Spanish club testing positive for the dreaded virus.
UEFA on Monday said that the Champions League quarter-final match between Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig is “planned to be played as scheduled” on Thursday despite two of the members at the Spanish club testing positive for the dreaded virus.
Atletico on Sunday reported two individuals had tested positive for COVID-19 just days before the face the German Club in Lisbon, where all the matches of the UEFA Champions League ‘Final-8’ is set to take place. However, the club didn’t clarify whether the it was the players, coaching staff or officials who had tested positive for coronavirus.
Atletico confirmed that a fresh round of tests was being carried out on the squad and backroom staff on Monday.
A UEFA spokesman said: "The match is planned to be played as scheduled. We have no further comments to make."
Atletico Madrid on Sunday, in a statement, said that the two members who had tested positive “are self-isolating at their respective homes”.
After football was came to screeching halt due to COVID-19 outbreak in March, UEFA came to a conclusion that the Champions League will be completed in a Final-8 tournament in Lisbon with one-legged match replacing the traditional two-legged affairs.
Under the UEFA protocol for European competitions, a team must have 13 healthy players, including a goalkeeper for a match to go ahead. If not then UEFA can give green signal for the match to be rescheduled.
The quarter-finals start on Wednesday when Italian side Atalanta take on Paris Saint-Germain. The final is scheduled to take place on August 23.