"The Corona Protection Order agreed by the federal government last Friday envisions only a few exceptions and no special arrangement for professional athletes," the German interior ministry said in a statement, per The Guardian.
"The federal police has told the RB Leipzig club today that the circumstances of the given case do not meet the requirements for an exemption."
The onus has now shifted to hosts Leipzig to make arrangements to source an alternative neutral venue, with London being mooted as a possible solution, failing which the Bundesliga outfit could be forced to forfeit the match and hand Liverpool a 3-0 first-leg lead.
UEFA is also reportedly considering delaying all ties that are affected by coronavirus-enforced travel bans, with 2 April said to be the last possible date for matches to take place in time for the quarter-finals to proceed.
