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Hoffenheim hit badly by COVID-19 cases as club confirm eighth case; squad quarantined

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Nov 12, 2020, 08:52 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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European countries have witnessed a rise in COVID-19 cases recently and it looks like Bundesliga club Hoffenheim have been struck by the deadline virus as the German club on Thursday confirmed an eighth case of the dreaded virus with the squad already quarantined.     

European countries have witnessed a rise in COVID-19 cases recently and it looks like Bundesliga club Hoffenheim have been struck by the deadline virus as the German club on Thursday confirmed an eighth case of the dreaded virus with the squad already quarantined.     

Training for Hoffenheim has been suspended after the entire squad was quarantined on Wednesday.

Hoffenheim are scheduled to play Stuttgart in their next Bundesliga match on November 21 following the completion of the international break.

Defender Kevin Vogt was the latest player test positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday after the likes of Sebastian Rudy, Ishak Belfodil and a staff member tested positive on Wednesday morning. The current development within the Hoffenheim squad has sparked concerns among the Bundesliga rivals with Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge saying that clubs must ensure they "improve and adapt their hygiene concepts to ensure that matches can continue to be played".

Thus far, no Bundesliga match has been cancelled due to a high number of COVID-19 cases at a club as DFL rules state a club must play providing it has 15 fit players.

Werder Bremen’s former German midfielder Clemens Fritz termed Hoffenheim’s cases as “tragic”.

"Hoffenheim is in close communication with the players who are currently still with their national teams, as well as with the health authorities," said sports director Alexander Rosen.ALSO READ: Liverpool's injury worry grows as Joe Gomez suffers serious knee injury

Earlier on Tuesday, Hoffenheim confirmed two cases when Denmark’s Robert Skov and Israel’s Munas Dabbur tested positive for the virus while on national duty. 

Denmark winger Jacob Bruun Larsen and a member of staff were isolated at the weekend after testing positive.

As a precaution, goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and left-back Ryan Sessegnon were both sent home from the senior Germany and England Under-21 squads respectively despite negative tests.

Hoffenheim stunned European champions Bayern 4-1 in September but have taken just seven points from seven matches.

(With AFP inputs)