Augsburg Coach To Miss Bundesliga Restart For Breaching Covid-19 Rules To Buy Toothpaste
Augsburg manager Heiko Herrlich will miss the restart of the German Bundesliga on Saturday after breaching Covid-19 restrictions to buy toothpaste.
The Bundesliga is set to become the first major European league to make a return, with Augsburg’s clash against Wolfsburg one of six games to take place on Saturday.
Herrlich was appointed as Augsburg manager in March but is yet to take charge of his first game due to the enforced break.
As part of measures put in place by the German Football League to combat the spread of coronavirus, teams have undergone tests and are supposed to remain in quarantine in team hotels at all times.
Herrlich will now have to take a break from his squad until he can return two consecutive negative tests for Covid-19.
"At today's FC Augsburg press conference before the game against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday (3:30 p.m.), coach Heiko Herrlich reported that he had briefly left the team hotel," the club signalled in a statement released on Thursday.
"In doing so, he violated the quarantine rules of the hygiene concept that the German Football League had developed through the task force in order to be able to resume play."
"I made a mistake by leaving the hotel. Even if I have followed all hygiene measures both when leaving the hotel and otherwise, I cannot undo this," Herrlich admitted.
"In this situation, I was not able to act as a role model for my team and the public. I will therefore be consistent and stand by my mistake.
"Because of this misconduct, I will not be leading training tomorrow and will not be in charge of the team against Wolfsburg on Saturday."
Augsburg currently lie 14th on the Bundesliga table, five points above the relegation zone.
