Coronavirus: Man Utd match at LASK behind closed doors

The first leg of Manchester United’s Europa League last-16 tie at LASK on Thursday will be played behind closed doors because of coronavirus concerns.

Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 tie at Bayern Munich on 18 March will also be played without fans present.

LASK made the decision following advice from the Austrian government.

United have sold their allocation of just under 900 tickets but the game is one of several European fixtures that will have no spectators.

Wolves’ Europa League last-16 first-leg match at Olympiakos on Thursday will also be played in a near-empty stadium, as will Rangers’ second leg tie at Bayer Leverkusen on 19 March in the same competition.

Wolves have asked for their game to be postponed and their manager Nuno Espirito Santo has said: “If we have to go we will. But we don’t agree – we’re not happy to go.”

Bayern confirmed the second-leg match against Chelsea will be played behind closed doors after a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people was issued by the regional Bavarian government in Germany on Tuesday.

Chelsea are trailing 3-0 on aggregate from the first leg.

The Bayer Leverkusen-Rangers tie will be played behind closed doors after a ban on mass gatherings in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.

Sporting events in Europe have been affected as a result of the spread of the virus, with games being played without fans or, such as two of the three final-weekend Six Nations rugby matches, postponed.

 

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