The Champions League last 16 second leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund will be played behind closed doors on Wednesday due to the coronavirus outbreak, Paris police said on Monday.
The decision comes after the French government on Sunday announced measures to cope with the spread of the virus, including banning all gatherings of more than 1,000 people. France has so far seen more than 1,100 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 19 deaths.
"In accordance with the measures announced last night, the police chief has decided that the match ... will be played behind closed doors," said Paris police in a statement.
PSG, who would have expected a full house of more than 45,000 fans at the Parc des Princes for the game, issued a statement of their own, saying: "In this context, the club remains fully mobilised to organise the match in the best possible conditions."
The announcement was closely followed by the postponement of the Six Nations rugby match between France and Ireland scheduled for Saturday in Paris, the most high profile sporting events in France to be hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
PSG has already had their Ligue 1 match at Strasbourg on Saturday postponed due to the extent of the outbreak in the Alsace region of eastern France.
The state of North Rhine Westphalia, where Dortmund is situated, has been the worst hit in Germany, with close to 500 confirmed infections, according to official data.
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Sporting fixtures across the world played out to empty arenas
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AC Milan's Samu Castillejo takes a corner in an empty San Siro Stadium during the Serie A match against Genoa, which was played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy. AP -
Staff at the San Siro stadium check the temperature of a photographer ahead of the AC Milan v Genoa match. Reuters -
Sampdoria players before their Serie A match against Hellas Verona at Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa. EPA -
Parma and SPAL play their Serie A soccer match in the empty Stadio Ennio Tardini, in Parma, Italy, on Sunday, March 8. AP -
Coronavirus health checks take place before the Serie A match between Udinese and Fiorentina at Stadio Friuli on Sunday, March 8. Getty -
Udinese and Fiorentina players warm-up in an empty Stadio Friuli ahead of their Serie A game. Getty -
An empty stadium during a Palestinian league football match in the West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday, March 7. AFP -
The Saudi Professional League match between Al Hilal and Al Ettifaq at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on Saturday, March 7. EPA -
Empty stands at the Al Hilal and Al Ettifaq match on Saturday, March 7. EPA -
Competitors in the men's biathlon relay in the IBU World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, on Saturday, March 7. AFP -
Competitors at the start of the women's 30km cross-country skiing race at the FIS World Cup Nordic on Saturday, March 7 in Holmenkollen, Norway. AFP -
Thierry Langer, left, of Belgium and the American Leif Nordgren during the men's biathlon relay in the IBU World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, on Saturday, March 7. EPA -
No spectators are present to see Sumo wrestlers hold a Dohyo ring entering ceremony at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka, Japan, on Sunday March 8. Reuters
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Dortmund won the first leg 2-1 at home last month, leaving PSG requiring a second-leg comeback to avoid a fourth straight exit in the first knockout round of the Champions League.
Tuesday's Champions League clash between Valencia and Italian side Atalanta in Spain will also be played behind closed doors, with the visitors travelling from Bergamo in the Lombardy region which is amongst the worst hit parts of Italy by the virus.
No journalists will be allowed to attend that game either.
