The 16th round of RB League Leipzig Champions League with Liverpool will be played in Budapest later this month after local authorities refused to offer Premier League winners a special permit to travel to Germany for the first leg.
The German government has banned travel from the UK until at least 17 February in an effort to prevent the release of a new version of COVID-19 that has surfaced in England in recent weeks.
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With Leipzig set to host the 2019 Champions League winners on 16 February, efforts have been made by the club to secure a release for Liverpool to be able to travel to the city to compete.
But with Germany’s interior ministry telling Leipzig that the match does not meet the requirements for release, UEFA has not confirmed that the match will be transferred to Hungary, with both sides meeting at the stadium. play in the capital Budapest
Read UEFA statement: “UEFA can confirm that Round 16 of the first leg of the UEFA Champions League between RB Leipzig and Liverpool FC will now take place at Puskas Arena in Budapest. Date of match (February 16 2021) and kick-off time (9pm CET) stays the way it is.
“UEFA would like to thank RB Leipzig and Liverpool FC for their close co-operation and support in finding a solution to the issue at hand, as well as the Hungarian Football Federation for the support and agreement to host the game in question. “
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp urged German authorities on Friday to allow his team to travel to Leipzig for the match, announcing the club’s adherence to the Premier League’s strict COVID protocols.
“I know the general situation regarding travel from England, but with all the stuff we do here, the schedule we have with things, the control in sticking to it. the protocols, it would be perfectly reasonable to make an exception, “Klopp said at his press conference on Friday.
“I don’t know who will make a decision, but they say it’s not possible. We’re not infected, we have the same problems as other strains, but we’re in a bubble and could play in Leipzig without spreading the virus. “
Despite the protests by Leipzig and Klopp, however, the first leg will now be played in Budapest.
The return game at Anfield on March 10 has no effect and will go ahead as expected.