UEFA have postponed next week’s Champions League and Europa League fixtures due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The announcement means that Rangers will not be travelling to Germany for their second leg fixture against Bayer Leverkusen on March 19.
The governing body said that a further announcement on when the game, which was due to be held behind closed doors, will be made ‘in due course’.
In the light of developments due to the spread of COVID-19 in Europe and related decisions made by different governments, all UEFA club competitions matches scheduled next week are postponed. #UCL and #UEL quarter-final draws have also been postponed.
Full statement: 👇
— UEFA (@UEFA) March 13, 2020
Several clubs involved in European competitions have been impacted by the outbreak, including one Juventus player testing positive for Covid-19 and Real Madrid players being quarantined.
The UEFA statement read: “In the light of developments due to the spread of COVID-19 in Europe and related decisions made by different governments, all UEFA club competitions matches scheduled next week are postponed.
“This includes the remaining UEFA Champions League, Round of 16 second leg matches scheduled on 17 and 18 March 2020; all UEFA Europa League, Round of 16 second leg matches scheduled on 19 March 2020; all UEFA Youth League, quarter-final matches scheduled on 17 and 18 March 2020.
“Further decisions on when these matches take place will be communicated in due course.
“As a consequence of the postponements, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League quarter-final draws scheduled for 20 March have also been postponed.
“UEFA yesterday invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to a videoconference meeting on Tuesday 17 March to discuss European football’s response to the outbreak.”
Premier League fixtures are expected to be called off this weekend after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for Covid-19.
But, as it stands, the weekend’s Scottish football fixtures will be played as normal – including Sunday’s Old Firm game at Ibrox.
Mass gatherings of more than 500 people in Scotland are to be cancelled from Monday onwards, meaning that any further fixtures are likely to be behind closed doors or postponed.
In the rugby Six Nations, Scotland’s match against Wales in Cardiff will still go ahead.
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