Bayern game to be played behind closed doors

What you need to know:

  • On Sunday, Germany's health minister Jens Spahn requested that all events with more than 1,000 people be cancelled "until further notice"
  • But the decision to close stadium doors rests ultimately with regional authorities and is made on a case-by-case basis

BERLIN

The Bundesliga match between Union Berlin and Bayern Munich on Saturday will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus scare, Berlin city government said Wednesday.

"The match will be played without spectators," the city deputy health chief Dilek Kalayci told Spreeradio station despite Union Berlin's statement Tuesday saying the match would be open to an expected 22,000 fans.

On Sunday, Germany's health minister Jens Spahn requested that all events with more than 1,000 people be cancelled "until further notice".

But the decision to close stadium doors rests ultimately with regional authorities and is made on a case-by-case basis.

Also behind closed doors this weekend are matches at Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 04, Fortuna Düsseldorf v Paderborn, Augsbourg v VfL Wolfsburg and Cologne v Mainz 05.