Munich, December 3 (BNA) The Spanish football club Barcelona said today, Friday, that the match of the Barcelona team in the European Football Championship away from its stadium against Bayern Munich next week will be held without fans due to the outbreak of the new Corona virus in the German state of Bavaria.
Barcelona, who are second in Group E behind Bayern Munich, are set to face the German side on December 8 at the Allianz Arena, Reuters reports.
“Bayern Munich against Barcelona will play behind closed doors,” the Spanish club said.
He added, “The sixth day of the Champions League match will be played without fans in the stadium due to the dangerous increase in cases of Corona virus in the German region of Bavaria in the past few weeks.”
Manchester City’s match against RB Leipzig on December 7 will also be played behind closed doors after the German state of Saxony was subjected to partial closure last month.
The German government on Thursday reintroduced restrictions on sporting events amid a spike in COVID-19 cases and ruled that Bundesliga matches can only be attended by up to 50% and a maximum of 15,000 spectators.
German authorities fear the fourth wave of COVID-19 threatens to overwhelm intensive care units. The country recorded 74,352 new infections and 390 deaths on Friday, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
Two cases of the new type of Omicron were also discovered in the southern German state of Bavaria last week.
Bayern said in a statement that its two Bundesliga matches at home against Mainz 5 (December 11) and Wolfsburg (December 17) will be played behind closed doors.
“It’s a huge blow to play again in front of the empty stands at the Allianz Arena,” said Bayern board member Jan Driessen.
“Without fans, football is only half beautiful, not to mention the financial consequences. But we have to accept the decision.”