The “luck factor” that coach Markus Weinzierl had wished for on Thursday afternoon left FC Augsburg in the evening. Instead of possibly easily fighting for three important points for staying in the class against a Corona-stricken core team of FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, the table-14 received. the Bundesliga received the news that the German Football League (DFL) ultimately approved Mainz’s application to postpone the match. A catch-up date was not initially set, an appointment after the international break at the beginning of April is considered the most likely solution.
Even before the cancellation by the DFL, the Augsburg coach outlined scenarios and competitive disadvantages in the relegation battle: “Let’s play it again: After that we’ll probably have an English week, probably in the short week between Wolfsburg and Bayern. That’s definitely a disadvantage in some way.” , argued Weinzierl. And what if a corona outbreak should also hit the FCA extensively? “Will we then postpone the end of the season?” Weinzierl asked with biting irony.
With a view to the impending deadline bottlenecks, Augsburg believed “100 percent” that the game on Saturday would be held as planned. However, after a lengthy examination, the DFL shared the view of the Mainz team that the team still did not have the necessary minimum number of players after the massive outbreak of corona. The Mainz home game against Borussia Dortmund was postponed a week ago, this game is now scheduled for next Wednesday (6:30 p.m.).
The current game postponement should not improve the tense relationship between Augsburg and Mainz. The FCA officials reacted irritably to the 05ers’ request alone, and sports director Stefan Reuter clashed in a long-distance verbal duel with his Mainz colleague Christian Heidel. The Swabians only commented on the cancellation on Thursday evening in a thin statement. “The FCA has taken note of the message,” it said.
Shortly before the weekend, there were also major corona problems with a competitor in the basement: According to initially unconfirmed media reports, there were also numerous positive tests at Arminia Bielefeld. Whether the away game on Sunday (5.30 p.m.) at Borussia Dortmund could be at risk remained open on Friday, the usual press conference scheduled for Bielefeld postponed to Saturday at short notice. In the middle of the week, Arminia had already reported “several corona infections in the coaching and supervisory staff”.
