2nd league
Düsseldorf (dpa) – Second division soccer team Fortuna Düsseldorf failed in its attempt to move the game this Saturday (1.30 p.m. / Sky) at SC Paderborn due to the corona.
“The DFL has not granted our application to postpone the game. The game at SC Paderborn 07 will take place,” said the club.
The team had already made its way to East Westphalia the day before, badly depleted. There are currently 14 players in Düsseldorf, including head coach Daniel Thioune, who are affected by a corona infection – apparently one professional is not enough to get a transfer from the German Football League (DFL). “At the moment there are 16 players who are considered fit to play. It currently depends on one player whether it can be played,” sporting director Christian Weber confirmed on Friday.
In Paderborn, the team will be looked after by assistant coach Jan Hoepner. “It wasn’t a normal week and certainly not normal preparation for a second division game,” said Hoepner, who has to replace numerous top performers. The Düsseldorfers are therefore getting reinforcements from the second team.