Soccer Football – EuropSlovan Bratislava players pose for a team group photo before the match at Tehelne Pole Stadium in Bratislava, Slovakia December 12, 2019.a League – Group K – Slovan Bratislava v S.C. Braga- Tehelne Pole Stadium, Bratislava, Slovakia – December 12, 2019 Slovan Bratislava players pose for a team group photo before the match.
NEW YORK: Slovan Bratislava have forfeited their Champions League first qualifying round tie against Faroe Islands side KI Klaksvik after a player from the Slovakian club tested positive for Covid-19, Uefa said yesterday.
The match was initially scheduled for August 19 but postponed to August 21 after a member of Bratislava’s delegation had returned a positive test.
Bratislava were required to provide a list of additional players who had tested negative and were eligible to play.
However, a player from the second group returned two positive test results in consecutive days, forcing the tie to be cancelled.
Uefa said its Appeal Committee decided that as the fixture could not be played, Bratislava were “deemed to have lost the match 3-0.” KI Klaksvik will meet Young Boys in the second qualifying round today.
Kosovan side FC Prishtina have also forfeited their Europa League qualifier against Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar after they failed to take the pitch for the Saturday’s rescheduled match.
The preliminary round tie was initially scheduled for last Tuesday but was postponed after a number of Prishtina players tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Gibraltar.
Prishtina registered new players from rival clubs in time for Saturday’s game but their hopes of qualifying ended when eight players from the reformed squad also tested positive for the virus.
The incidents have further illustrated the difficulties European football’s governing body Uefa faces as it attempts to play the European qualifiers during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier this month, Kosovan side KF Drita’s Champions League preliminary round tie against Northern Irish club Linfield was cancelled after two players tested positive.
