ZCZC
BSP-18
FBL-GER-VIRUS-HEALTH-CUP
German Cup final postponed
BERLIN, April 24, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The German FA announced Friday that the
national cup final, planned for May 23 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, has been
postponed, but said it hopes it can still take place this season behind
closed doors.
The semi-finals of the Cup, which had been scheduled for this week, were
postponed when the season was halted in mid March due to the coronavirus
pandemic.
Holders Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and fourth
division side FC Saarbruecken had all reached the last four.
Fritz Keller, president of the German Football Association (DFB), hopes
the semi-finals and final can still be played, albeit without spectators.
On Thursday, the German Football League announced that they are ready to
resume the Bundesliga season on May 9.
They still need the go-ahead from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government
and state leaders, but the German FA hopes that the national cup competition
will also be granted permission to be completed.
“It is extremely regrettable that this special match (the final) will in
all probability also have to take place without spectators,” Keller said in a
statement.
“Provided that the match is approved, we can then look forward to watching
the final in our living rooms for the first time in the cup’s history.”
BSS/AFP/MRU/1810hrs