Kosovan club forfeits Champions League tie after COVID-19 outbreak

Lausanne, Aug 12, 2020 (AFP) - Kosovo football club Drita have had to forfeit their Champions League preliminary match with Northern Ireland's Linfield after their squad was placed in quarantine due to an outbreak of coronavirus, UEFA announced.

The tie was to have taken place on Tuesday at Nyon in Switzerland.

However, after the announcement of a second positive COVID-19 case in the Kosovo team, "the Swiss authorities, in cooperation with UEFA" decided to place Drita's team in quarantine.

In accordance with the UEFA protocol adopted a week ago and "due to urgent circumstances", the UEFA disciplinary body ruled, on appeal, that "Drita were forfeited and lost the match 3-0".

Tests carried out on the whole Drita squad before arriving in Switzerland last week were negative.

A first positive case, however, was reported on Friday and the player was placed in quarantine, on the eve of Drita's opening game in the tournament which they won against Inter Club d'Escaldes of Andorra.

On Saturday, Linfield had beaten Tre Fiori of San Marino to set-up the clash with Kosovo team.

Both games were also played in Nyon.

According to UEFA protocols a team must have 13 healthy players in order to play.

If a team does not have 13 footballers on the previously submitted "A list" of eligible players, UEFA "may authorise the rescheduling of the match".

If the match cannot be rescheduled, the team that cannot field 13 players "will be held responsible" and will have lost the match by a score of 3-0.