Behind closed doors in Belgrade: Germany to play Serbia without fans
The Nations League match between Serbia and Germany on 13 November will be played without spectators. UEFA's sanction against the Serbian FA is final – the DFB has informed ticket applicants.
Archive image · Photo: Bjoertvedt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Germany will play their penultimate Nations League group match in Serbia in front of empty stands. The game on Friday, 13 November (20:45 CET), at Belgrade's Rajko Mitić Stadium will be played behind closed doors. The DFB told fans who had applied for tickets on Thursday, Sky Sport and 90min report.
The background is a UEFA sanction against the Serbian FA over racist and discriminatory behaviour by Serbian supporters at the home games against Greece and the Netherlands; according to 90min, it also includes a €50,000 fine. The DFB letter says the spectator ban is now final. The federation said it knew many fans had already booked flights and accommodation, but that it had no influence on the situation either.
Ahead of the last two games, head coach Jürgen Klopp's side are third in Group A2 with five points, behind the Netherlands and Greece on eight each; Serbia have yet to pick up a point. Three days later, on 16 November, the group stage ends with the home game against the Netherlands at Berlin's Olympiastadion.