The Bundesliga duel between Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund is on shaky ground. The reason: A large number of players and coaches in the Rheinhessen have been infected with the corona virus.
Bundesliga club FSV Mainz 05 is struggling with a massive corona outbreak immediately before the 25th matchday. 19 members of the fully immunized licensed players area, consisting of professionals, coaches and other employees, have tested positive and have gone into isolation. The club announced on Thursday. The home game against Borussia Dortmund is scheduled for next Sunday (3.30 p.m./in the t-online live ticker).
For the time being, the public training for professionals planned for Thursday afternoon was canceled, and the players who tested negative completed individual training instead. The club is now in close contact with the Mainz health department and the German Football League (DFL) regarding how to proceed.
Mainz needs 16 operational players
BVB was also informed immediately “by the DFL and the club”, said Sebastian Kehl, head of the license player department at Dortmund: “We will continue to prepare professionally for the match. As of now, we assume that the game will take place on can take place next Sunday.”
According to the DFL rules of the game, a club can only apply for a match to be dismissed under the current regulations if fewer than 16 players (including amateurs who are eligible to play) are available.
The short-term corona problem is not a new situation for Mainz: Immediately before the start of the season, the club had to complain about eleven infections in the ranks of the professionals last August. The game against runners-up RB Leipzig, also on the following Sunday, still took place – and Mainz won 1-0.