The home game of the second division soccer team VfL Osnabrück against FC Schalke 04 has been postponed from Saturday to next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The German Football League (DFL) announced that it will take place in the Millerntorstadion of FC St. Pauli. Apparently this is met with rejection by many VfL fans and they are demanding a different choice.
The postponement is necessary because the city of Osnabrück has closed the VfL stadium on the Bremer Bridge due to structural defects in the roof structure. Schalke had previously suggested, among other things, that the match be held on a neutral pitch, without fans in Osnabrück, or that it be relocated to the arena in Gelsenkirchen.
Above all, the “Royal Blues” wanted to prevent a postponement to a later date between the 33rd and 34th matchdays. However, a short-term relocation of the game to another stadium on the original game date was, among other things, “not possible due to association regulations,” said the DFL.
Schalke 04 reacts positively to the relocation
In the season finale, the league association considers it necessary “to protect the integrity of the competition” to “play a postponed game on a match day before the following match day in order to maintain the chronological order of the game plan”. The Schalke board welcomed this “in the spirit of fair and equal competition” in an initial reaction to the relocation. The people of Gelsenkirchen also “expressly” thanked FC St. Pauli and its club management as well as the DFL.
Criticism from the VfL fans: But another variant?
However: According to NDR information, the decision for the Millerntorstadion does not seem to be completely final yet. After protests from its fans, VfL is also considering moving to another stadium – possibly to Werder Bremen’s Weserstadion. The DFL must determine the location and kick-off time by Friday at the latest, as both teams have the right to this information four days before the game at the latest.
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Sports current | April 30, 2024 | 6:20 p.m
