Liverpool – Atletico Madrid clash being probed over coronavirus links
According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool Council has launched an official inquiry to determine if there is a direct link between the Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid and the rising cases of coronavirus in the city.
In an ill-advised move, around 3000 Spanish fans traveled to Merseyside for the clash. This in spite of the Iberians reeling from a massive outbreak at the time.
Ironically, the fans were prevented from attending home games but not from making the trip across the channel to visit Anfield.
These fans not only spent time at a packed Anfield. They also visited numerous pubs and bars as they socialized among themselves and the locals.
Reacting to the Liverpool Echo’s question if the match directly contributed to the virus’s spread in the country, the government’s deputy chief scientific advisor Angela Mclean termed it an ‘interesting hypothesis’.
An official inquiry!
A closer look will now be taken at the event. Mayor Joe Anderson confirmed that he has asked the city’s public health director to look into the possible effects between the match and the spread of the virus (h/t Liverpool Echo).
“We now want to find out what impact that had in the city.”
He further added that he found it absurd that the fans, who were not permitted to attend home games in their own city, were permitted to travel to Liverpool by the government and UEFA (h/t Liverpool Echo).
The city’s new public health director, Matt Ashton, has now been tasked with the responsibility to conduct an investigation. He will work with the city’s universities to try and ascertain whether there is a direct link between the match and the spread of the virus (h/t Liverpool Echo).
Moreover, the fears regarding the issue were shared by Jurgen Klopp prior to the clash. It was revealed by Carlo Ancelotti that Klopp was livid that the match went ahead in spite of the situation.
The German had recently admitted he found it difficult to focus on preparing for the knockout tie after hearing about the heightened situation in Spain following the closure of schools.
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It can only be called an act of negligence by the organizing authorities. This gains more context when one takes into account what happened in the Atalanta-Valencia clash in Italy.
It was a poor decision to permit such a congregation of fans together. Especially so given that a number of them were from a virus-affected zone.
The Reds had taken all precautions to the best of their ability. However, given the nature of the virus there is only so much they could have done. Hopefully, none of the spectators or others involved have been made to suffer for a situation, not of their making.
