Coronavirus: Chelsea, Man Utd, Wolves to play European games behind closed doors

Chelsea, Manchester United, Wolves and Rangers are all set to play their European games behind closed doors due to coronavirus concerns.

Chelsea travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich next Wednesday for their Champions League last-16 second leg, but that game will now be played without any supporters at the Allianz Arena.

The Bundesliga champions sit in a comfortable position going into the match as they lead Chelsea 3-0 from the first leg.

United’s Europa League last-16 first-leg match at LASK in Linz on Thursday will be also be played behind closed doors, after the Austrian Interior Minister said that the country was banning outdoor events of more than 500 people.

Austrian Bundesliga chairman Christian Ebenbauer said: “Of course we all prefer to watch atmospheric games with many spectators, but we are experiencing an exceptional situation across the country.

“We fully trust the experts responsible and of course implement the measures to protect the population. Like other organisers, these measures are associated with massive organisational and financial challenges for us and our clubs.”

Wolves’ Europa League tie at Olympiakos on Thursday will also be played without fans, with the owner of the Greek club, Evangelos Marinakis, announcing he has the coronavirus.

Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo says he would prefer the match in Athens was postponed, and the decision to play without fans is not solving the problem.

“I understand the decision to play behind closed doors but what is the point of football? It doesn’t make sense to play behind closed doors,” he said.

“This is more than football. This is a social situation. Everybody is worried. Something has to be done. Closed doors in stadiums is not a solution. It’s not normal.”

Rangers are due to travel to Germany to face Bayer Leverkusen next Thursday in their Europa League last-16 second leg but will also be playing in an empty stadium.

The German club said: “The Bundesliga away game at Werder Bremen on March 16, as well the Europa League home match against Rangers on March 19, will have no supporters in the stadium.”

Coronavirus: Key sporting developments

• Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has announced he has coronavirus and is now self-isolating
• Wolves’ Europa League tie at Olympiakos in Greece on Thursday – as well as Sevilla vs Roma – will be played behind closed doors
• Barcelona have confirmed their Champions League last-16 second-leg game with Napoli – scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 at the Nou Camp – will take place behind closed doors. PSG’s match with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday is also being played behind closed doors
• All La Liga games for at least the next two weeks will be played behind closed doors following updated advice from the Spanish authorities
• All Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches until April 15 will be played behind closed doors amid the outbreak, the French League (LFP) said on Tuesday
• The Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2020 play-off against Slovakia in Bratislava on March 26 will be played behind closed doors. Germany’s international football friendly against Italy on March 31 will also be played behind closed doors
• The Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation has confirmed ticket sales for this month’s Euro 2020 play-off match with Northern Ireland have been suspended
• The France v Ireland Six Nations match was postponed on Monday. As it stands, the Wales vs Scotland match is the only game in the final round of the Six Nations due to go ahead as originally scheduled, after the Italy vs England game in Rome was postponed last week
• All domestic sporting action has been suspended in Italy after prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced at a press conference that the whole country would be on lockdown from Tuesday morning
• Catalans’ Super League game at home to Leeds Rhinos in Perpignan on Saturday will go ahead behind closed doors
• Tennis tournament the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells was due to start in California on Monday but will now not take place

(c) Sky Sports 2020: Coronavirus: Chelsea, Man Utd, Wolves to play European games behind closed doors