LASK v United - will be played behind closed doors

[jojojo]

Austria government is asking for cancellation of outdoor events with more than 500 participants. LASK, United and UEFA now in discussions with government about Thursday's match.

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[sglowrider]

No probs. No long have home-field advantage.

 

[sewey89]

I would expect us to win quite handsomely behind closed doors

 

[Rafaeldagold]

The playing behind closed doors is tainting the competition for me. Home team loses a big advantage & it’s just not right fairness wise.

Why is football being targeted to close down and not airports or the tube which has more people in close contact? I don’t understand the logic

 

[Siorac]

The playing behind closed doors is tainting the competition for me. Home team loses a big advantage & it’s just not right fairness wise.

Why is football being targeted to close down and not airports or the tube which has more people in close contact? I don’t understand the logic

Football isn't being targeted: public events with lots of participants are.

 

[JJ12]

The playing behind closed doors is tainting the competition for me. Home team loses a big advantage & it’s just not right fairness wise.

Why is football being targeted to close down and not airports or the tube which has more people in close contact? I don’t understand the logic

Well it’s all sports and no events will go ahead with airports closed down. They are trying to get the season played even though it’s far from ideal.

 

[Rafaeldagold]

Football isn't being targeted: public events with lots of participants are.

But apparently the science doesn’t even support this measure


Dr Harries said cancelling big outdoor events like football matches would not necessarily be a decision supported by science.
"The virus will not survive very long outside," she said. "Many outdoor events, particularly, are relatively safe."

 

[Nick7]

The playing behind closed doors is tainting the competition for me. Home team loses a big advantage & it’s just not right fairness wise.

Why is football being targeted to close down and not airports or the tube which has more people in close contact? I don’t understand the logic

Airports and public transport are a tad more important than sports or other unneeded public gatherings.

 

[Samid]

Shame for the Swiss fans, not often they get to experience United so this sucks. Bite

 

[SmashedHombre]

You really have to feel for the LASK fans, absolutely sucks for them.

 

[Anduin]

Shame for the Swiss fans, not often they get to experience United so this sucks. Bite

Almost fell for it!

 

[Rafaeldagold]

Airports and public transport are a tad more important than sports or other unneeded public gatherings.

That doesn’t make sense. Importance shouldn’t matter, either we need to avoid large public gatherings or not

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

It's a fair enough call. I hope it doesn't knock us off playing in such an odd atmosphere.

 

[norm87cro]

You have to feel a little for them. It's probably one of the biggest games in their club history and its being played behind closed doors.

 

[Aarron Swift]

Have to feel for travelling fans that have tickets, flights + hotels booked for the game. Will UEFA / United provide any ticket refunds and compensation for travel expenses?

 

[Samid]

Have to feel for travelling fans that have tickets, flights + hotels booked for the game. Will UEFA / United provide any ticket refunds and compensation for travel expenses?

Hopefully not, we need to save every penny we can for Sancho and Grealish.

 

[Oldyella]

That doesn’t make sense. Importance shouldn’t matter, either we need to avoid large public gatherings or not

Of course it does. Playing a game behind closed doors is hardly the same as people, some of which will be health care staff, not being able to get to work.

 

[Siorac]

That doesn’t make sense. Importance shouldn’t matter, either we need to avoid large public gatherings or not

Of course importance matters. It's a risk vs reward thing.

 

[GBBQ]

I mean this is only starting to ramp up now, could we expect Champions league / Europa League finals behind closed doors too?

I mean i will shed a tear that Liverpool will have no fans in the stadium when they get the trophy and can't have an open top bus parade to celebrate.

 

[Godfather]

Shame for the Swiss fans, not often they get to experience United so this sucks. Bite

Oh cmon at least make it with Germany. We have no beef with the Swiss guys

On another note that's really a shame for football fans in Austria.

 

[Niall]

Shame, will be really drab to watch. But I look forward to hearing a lot of swearing from the staff and players while watching the match on my TV.

Bruno: "James pass the FKIN BALL"
James: "I didn't FKIN see you ya CNUT"
Bruno: "Get your FKIN head up innit!"
BT commentator: "Errr, we apologise for any colourful language you may have heard...again"

etc

 

[Rafaeldagold]

Of course importance matters. It's a risk vs reward thing.

How is it riskier having a few thousand people in a stadium outside (where the virus is less effective & doesn’t live long) compared to millions on the tube inside

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I mean I know it's bad... and looks like it's only getting worse.... but this really is drastic measures to make sure nobody has to watch Jesse Lingard play football.

 

[Aarron Swift]

Hopefully not, we need to save every penny we can for Sancho and Grealish.

Haha I like that perspective

 

[JJ12]

Makes it easier for us but a shame for the game really

 

[Siorac]

How is it riskier having a few thousand people in a stadium outside (where the virus is less effective & doesn’t live long) compared to millions on the tube inside

Not what I meant.

It carries no risk to simply cancel a sporting event or simply play it behind closed doors. It won't really have any significant negative repercussions and could help a bit in containing the virus.

Shutting down public transport, however, would be a major thing. The world's economy must continue to function somehow, we can't just close down everything: a total economic collapse would be worse than a COVID-19 pandemic.

 

[Aarron Swift]

I mean I know it's bad... and looks like it's only getting worse.... but this really is drastic measures to make sure nobody has to watch Jesse Lingard play football.

Perhaps Coronavirus just needs to see the appalling state of Lingard & Andreas on a football pitch to realise the world is already suffering enough, and its f**ks off for good

 

[deef]

You have to feel a little for them. It's probably one of the biggest games in their club history and its being played behind closed doors.

It really sucks... A lot of my mates are LASK supporters and they were so excited.

The owner of an Irish Pub where i used to watch all the united games in Linz even renamed his pub to "The Best Pub" after George Best especially for this occasion (might only be temporarily though)...

 

[Rafaeldagold]

Not what I meant.

It carries no risk to simply cancel a sporting event or simply play it behind closed doors. It won't really have any significant negative repercussions and could help a bit in containing the virus.

Shutting down public transport, however, would be a major thing. The world's economy must continue to function somehow, we can't just close down everything: a total economic collapse would be worse than a COVID-19 pandemic.

I get that, I just feel like playing games behind closed doors is too drastic when it isn’t a thriving place for the virus. Seems like it’s a measure to look like doing something when in reality it won’t make a difference at all to the spread compared to the tube

 

[Siorac]

I get that, I just feel like playing games behind closed doors is too drastic when it isn’t a thriving place for the virus. Seems like it’s a measure to look like doing something when in reality it won’t make a difference at all to the spread compared to the tube

I mean, yeah, I'm sure it's partly about that. But there are still some benefits: for example, a lot of those people who would have gone to the game will stay at home instead, won't use public transport... these little things might be able to make a difference overall.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

Lingard needs to stay behind a closed changing room door.

 

[Rafaeldagold]

I mean, yeah, I'm sure it's partly about that. But there are still some benefits: for example, a lot of those people who would have gone to the game will stay at home instead, won't use public transport... these little things might be able to make a difference overall.

True. It could make a very small difference.

It’s a big shame for LASK regardless. Dies kinda taint this match in all honesty

 

[Siorac]

True. It could make a very small difference.

It’s a big shame for LASK regardless. Dies kinda taint this match in all honesty

I watched Juve v Inter on Sunday and it was a great game but it just didn't feel... real. Felt like a training match.

 

[OleTheGreat]

Safety wise i think it is the right decision for the people of Austria but i also feel bad for the football fans out there because it is a very rare sight to watch Manchester United visit Austria. They could've gained so much revenue from the ticket sales and so on but otherwise i think LASK will potentially lose the home advantage and United can just steam roll them inside closed doors. It will for sure be a sad sight to watch empty stands but the game must go on. I hope the local team still fights hard and gives people something good to at least watch on the tele.

 

[Bestietom]

The playing behind closed doors is tainting the competition for me. Home team loses a big advantage & it’s just not right fairness wise.

Why is football being targeted to close down and not airports or the tube which has more people in close contact? I don’t understand the logic

If there is any danger of people picking up the coronavirus, then I agree with playing games behind closed doors.

 

[mark_a]

I feel bad for the United fans who have made travel plans.

As far as advantage is concerned, home fans are an advantage, but then so is being in your home ground, while the other side has had to travel etc..

I suppose with all this, it's about people in power making safety calls & realistically they're probably going to be over cautious (As they were with the volcanic ash cloud thing a few years back). Public safety is involved & decisions now could benefit the longer term outcome. Though it's saddening watching our dim-witted chancers in Government at the moment, absolutely zero leadership. Zero. Where is gung-ho Boris and his appeal to the man in the street when the nation needs it?

(got my fingers crossed for my American trip next week ...)

 

[Classical Mechanic]

But apparently the science doesn’t even support this measure


Dr Harries said cancelling big outdoor events like football matches would not necessarily be a decision supported by science.
"The virus will not survive very long outside," she said. "Many outdoor events, particularly, are relatively safe."

Feels like a token gesture to reassure the public that they're doing something really.

 

[jojojo]

The Austrian league are trying to avoid playing behind closed doors and are reviewing the government official statement - though this doesn't directly affect the Europa decision it may be the line that LASK end up following with UEFA. The government statement does talk about certain things being done "by April" so there may be a delay before we hear a decision on this as clarification/negotiation gets done. Not a long delay though - I'm guessing our fans are already preparing to travel.

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[GJNJ]

It's a fair enough call. I hope it doesn't knock us off playing in such an odd atmosphere.

It doesn't effect City at the Etihad.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

13:07KEY EVENT
LASK vs United will take place behind closed doors
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