Germany bars Liverpool from Champions League

BERLIN — Germany will not allow Liverpool into the country to play a Champions League game at Leipzig on Feb. 16 because of border restrictions imposed over variants of coronavirus.

The German Interior Ministry said Thursday an application by Leipzig for special permission for Liverpool to enter the country was refused by authorities.

That means the game, the first leg of the round of 16, can't be played as scheduled on Feb. 16 in Leipzig. The German club could ask UEFA to move the game to a neutral venue. Switching the order of the legs so that Liverpool plays at home first could also be an option, but would likely require Leipzig's players and staff to go into quarantine on their return to Germany from Britain.

UEFA is open to delaying games affected by travel bans. On Tuesday, it set April 2 as the latest possible date to finish last-16 games in time for the quarterfinals.