Coronavirus: Bayern Munich must face Union Berlin in empty stadium

Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga match at Union Berlin on Saturday will be played behind closed doors.

As coronavirus continues to hit sport, a Berlin local authority has ordered the fixture to be played without spectators.

The Treptow-Kopenick district office issued a statement on Wednesday that declared: “Due to an order from our official doctor, the Union Berlin-Bayern Munich match will take place with the public excluded.”

The match is scheduled for 18:30 local time (17:30 GMT), and Wednesday’s decision came hours after Union Berlin said the local authorities had decided against a closed-doors order.

However, the situation has been fast-moving within sport as well as wider society, with the latest advice prompting the decision to prevent fans attending the game.

#Update zum #Samstagsspiel:
Aufgrund einer Anordnung unseres Amtsarztes wird das Spiel @fcunion / @FCBayern unter Ausschluss der Öffentlichkeit stattfinden!#Geisterspiel #coronavirus #corona #COVID19#Treptow– #Köpenick pic.twitter.com/aTqQDvt5C2

— BA Treptow-Köpenick (@BaBerlinTK) March 11, 2020

There was no immediate reaction from Bayern or Union to the announcement. The district office said in-depth talks took place with Union on Tuesday.

Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga, with Hansi Flick’s team holding a four-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, while Union are 11th in the standings.