The cancellation of the cup game between Saarbrücken and Mönchengladbach poses challenges for the DFB. A catch-up date is urgently needed. And there are more questions.
After the cup quarter-final between 1. FC Saarbrücken and Borussia Mönchengladbach was canceled, the search for a catch-up date has begun. The game did not start on Wednesday evening due to heavy rain and the pitch in the Ludwigsparkstadion was unplayable.
Both teams agreed with the referee’s decision. It is unclear when the game can take place. The German Press Agency answers some questions about the game and the rescheduling.
When can you play?
The German Football Association (DFB) wants to find an appointment quickly. In principle, the search shouldn’t be that difficult since both teams are not internationally active. But it is expected to continue to rain over the next few days, which makes it unlikely that the event will take place next week. And in the game after next, Saarbrücken already has a catch-up game. The DFB said the announcement should be made “as quickly as possible” in coordination with both teams.
What’s next in the cup?
Bayer Leverkusen, Fortuna Düsseldorf and 1. FC Kaiserslautern have already been confirmed as semi-finalists. The draw for the semi-final duels will take place on Saturday in the ZDF sports studio. The DFB announced that there would also be a double draw (Saarbrücken/Mönchengladbach) in the pot. If this were to be drawn as an away team, the opponent would not know until the match was played whether they were actually playing at home. Because if Saarbrücken progresses, home advantage would be reversed.
Why are there always problems with the Saarbrücken lawn?
There had already been repeated discussions in advance about the playability of the third division team’s pitch due to drainage problems. The league game against Dresden in October was canceled and the cup game against Bayern had been hanging in the balance for a long time. It was only the day before the planned Gladbach game that the city council decided to repair the lawn. According to information from several media outlets, Mayor Uwe Conradt said in a statement: “We can only apologize to the clubs and the fans of both teams as well as to everyone who was in action on today’s match day for the inconvenience.” We now have to “eliminate planning deficits” and “solve the lawn problem”.
Source: Stern
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