Champions League qualifier between Linfield and KF Drita CANCELLED just hours before kick-off after the WHOLE Kosovan team is put in quarantine after a second player tests positive for coronavirus… and they now face being booted out of the competition
- Linfield and KF Drita were due to play in Switzerland on Tuesday evening
- A second player from Drita tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week
- UEFA confirmed the tie was off after local authorities placed team in quarantine
The Champions League qualifying tie between Linfield and KF Drita has been postponed just hours before it was due to start after a second player from the Kosovo side tested positive for coronavirus.
The preliminary round tie had been due to kick-off at 6pm on Tuesday in Nyon, Switzerland, but a decision taken by the Swiss health authorities saw the match cancelled.
A FC Drita player tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday and – in accordance with UEFA’s Return to Play protocol – was put into quarantine along with one team-mate after tracing found he had come into close contact with the affected player.
KF Drita were placed in quarantine after a second unnamed player tested positive for Covid-19
A second member of the side produced a positive coronavirus test on Monday and it forced the fixture to be called off after the whole squad was put into quarantine.
In a statement released on Tuesday, UEFA said: ‘This second positive test of a player who was in contact with other members of the delegation over the last days has prompted the Swiss authorities to put the whole Kosovan team into quarantine.
‘Accordingly, the upcoming fixture cannot be played. The matter will now be submitted to the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body, for a decision to be taken in accordance with Annex I of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League regulations, which was approved by the UEFA Executive Committee last week.
The match was due to take place behind closed doors in Nyon, Switzerland on Tuesday night
‘UEFA would like to reinforce the importance for all teams, players, officials and all those involved to fully respect the UEFA Return to Play Protocol.’
Kosovo champions Drita now face the prospect of being kicked out of the competition with Linfield progressing to play Legia Warsaw in Poland next week in the Champions League first qualifying round.
The qualifying rounds are overlapping with the pandemic-delayed 2019-20 Champions League which resumes on Wednesday at the quarter-final stage in Lisbon, Portugal.
Linfield may now advance to next round with KF Drita facing being kicked out of tournament