Liverpool will not be able to enter Germany for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Leipzig on February 16 due to measures against the spread of coronavirus which prohibits the entry into the country of people in areas where mutations are widespread.
German federal police on Thursday rejected a request from Leipzig for special permission to Liverpool.
A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry explained that the Liverpool case is not covered by any of the possible exceptions to the general rule.
Leipzig must now be tasked with finding a neutral place and bearing the extra costs of the party trip.
UEFA wants to be clear by February 8. A second possibility would be for the first round to be played in England, confident that the situation would have changed for the return match to be played on March 10.
However, the latter should be accepted by Liverpool.
In any case, if no solution is found, UEFA could give up the game for Leipzig 0-3.