The UEFA executive committee has cancelled the 2020/21 UEFA Youth League due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on the ability to hold tournaments. Borussia’s U19s were due to enter the first round in around two weeks’ time against Lazio.
“We’re all obviously bitterly disappointed,” said Borussia U19s coach Sascha Eickel. His side were due to play Lazio in the first knockout round on Tuesday, 2nd March at BORUSSIA-PARK’s FohlenPlatz following January’s draw for the competition’s rejigged format. However, the UEFA committee has now completely scrapped the tournament due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The executive committee stressed that a cancellation was necessary as the health and safety of the youth players was the biggest priority. “Unfortunately, the conditions needed to hold this international youth competition are not currently possible,” read a statement, while travel restrictions affecting participating teams made organising games even more difficult. Two clubs had already withdrawn from the tournament.
“We were all very much looking forward to playing Lazio, but unfortunately cancellations like this have been part and parcel of this past year,” said Eickel. “Nevertheless, reason has to prevail when it comes to this issue. Several teams would also have struggled to work around the travel restrictions. The situation is what it is, we have to accept it.”
