ADVERTISEMENT

Berlin Orders Bayern Munich Match to Be Played Without Fans

German Minister Slams Plan to Allow Fans at Bayern Munich Game

(Bloomberg) --

Union Berlin’s Bundesliga match on Saturday against champions Bayern Munich must be played behind closed doors after objections from German Health Minister Jens Spahn about mass gatherings helping to spread the coronavirus.

Union was planning to stage the match as normal even as supporters were barred from this weekend’s other Bundesliga matches. However, authorities in the district of Treptow-Koepenick, where the club’s 22,000-capacity stadium is located, ruled on Wednesday that fans can’t attend because of the worsening outbreak.

“We regret the decision because of the football fans but protecting the population is our absolute priority,” Bernd Geschanowski, a local official, said in a statement on the district’s website.

Spahn had criticized the initial decision, telling DLF radio early Wednesday that comments by officials from Union showed “that they don’t have a full understanding of what this is about right now.”

The minister has advised against holding public events of more than 1,000 people as Germany battles to prevent the spread of the virus that has infected almost 1,300 across the nation and caused two deaths. Berlin has 81 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the city’s health department.

Hannover 96, a club in Germany’s second division, said Wednesday that one of its players, Timo Huebers, has been infected with the virus and has been quarantined at home.

Bavarian authorities on Tuesday decided to prohibit events of more than 1,000 people until April 19, meaning Bayern’s Champions League match against London’s Chelsea FC next week will be played without fans.

To contact the reporter on this story: Iain Rogers in Berlin at irogers11@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Stefan Nicola

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.