Football

Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv UCL clash could be postponed

FC Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev is in danger of being postponed after the visitors were hit with a coronavirus outbreak.  
Thirteen Dynamo Kyiv first-team players are unavailable for their Champions League trip to Spain after recording nine positive results.
Dynamo confirmed that Georgy Tsitaishvili, Denis Garmash, Mikkel Duelund, Alexander Karavaev, Tudor Belutse and Mykola Shaparenko have all tested positive for Covid-19 this week.  
Heorhiy Buschan, Vitaliy Mykolenko and Denys Boyko were all already in quarantine following previous tests.  
That has left Dynamo with just a 13-man travelling squad to the Nou Camp – the minimum number established by UEFA’s health protocols.  
An additional six from the club’s youth team have made the journey to Barcelona to fill up the numbers.   
However, if only one more player from Dynamo’s List A tests positive then the match will be postponed.  
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the six infected for the Ukrainian’s all trained with the rest of the team on Sunday.  
Although the players who boarded the plane to Spain on Monday tested negative, there is a chance they could develop the disease at a later date.  
Such a possibility increases the risk of potentially infecting Lionel Messi and co during the Group G clash on Wednesday evening.
Barcelona go into the third round of European fixtures leading the way on six points with Dynamo third on goal difference without a win so far.  
Rescheduling the game could prove difficult with UEFA tasked with finding a new date before the cut-off point of January 28 amid a packed calendar.  
The news came just a day after Liverpool’s Group D rivals Ajax were hit by 11 positive tests for coronavirus ahead of their match with FC Midtjylland.

Sammy Wejinya

Recent Posts

Marathon magic in New York and Soweto

Competitive racing was the order of the day at the TCS New York City Marathon…

13 hours ago

Mainz 05 Inspires Youth at Totalsport Safe-Hub in Alexandra

A coaching team from Bundesliga club 1.FSV Mainz 05 visited Totalsport Safe-Hub in Alexandra for…

6 days ago

Spotlight on African basketball talent and milestones as NBA’s 2024/25 season takes off

An NBA season packed with African talent and colourful courts is underway, with games available…

1 week ago

Tsitsikamma and Trail Running – setting the gold standard for inclusive conservation

Victor Mokoena and his team in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park…

2 weeks ago

Xaba and Tola re-write the record books at Sanlam’s Cape Town Marathon

Rising Ethiopian marathon star, Abdisa Tola, and South Africa’s running great, Glenrose ‘Supercharger’ Xaba, created…

3 weeks ago

Collin and Tayla shine on Day One of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon weekend

Zimbabwean Collin Kanyimo and British athlete Catherine Williamson took the trail honours in the 44km…

3 weeks ago