RB Leipzig host Liverpool in the Champions League on February 16; Germany has banned entry on all arrivals from areas affected by coronavirus mutations until at least February 17; the match could be played at a neutral venue if Liverpool are not granted special exemption to enter Germany
Wednesday 3 February 2021 16:14, UK
Liverpool are waiting to learn whether the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie at RB Leipzig will go ahead in Germany or at a neutral venue.
The German government has banned entry on all arrivals from areas affected by coronavirus mutations until at least February 17, with the only exceptions made for German citizens or residents.
The Bundesliga club moved to submit an application to grant Liverpool a special exemption to enter German territory for the game on February 16 and are yet to hear back from local authorities.
"Of course we are in talks with the authorities, with UEFA and with Liverpool," said RB Leipzig spokesman Till Muller on Tuesday.
"That also means that on Monday we applied for special exemption for the Liverpool team to enter [Germany]."
UEFA regulations state if such an exemption cannot be granted, RB Leipzig will need to notify UEFA in writing by midnight on February 8.
They then "must propose a suitable alternative venue which may be in a neutral country (within the territory of a UEFA member association) that would allow the match to take place without any restrictions for both clubs".
In the scenario, Liverpool are denied entry into Germany and a neutral venue is unable to be found, RB Leipzig would be handed a 3-0 loss.
On Tuesday, it was revealed UEFA could impose Arsenal's Europa League last-32 tie with Benfica to be played over one leg on neutral territory because of strict new UK coronavirus rules on arrivals from Portugal.
