Liverpool will be unable to travel to Germany for their Champions League tie with RB Leipzig, according to German authorities.

The first leg of the last-16 tie had been scheduled to take place in Leipzig on February 16, but the German government have banned entry on all arrivals from countries affected by coronavirus mutations until February 17.

Leipzig had hoped to be granted a special exemption to allow the first leg to take place at their home ground, but local authorities have denied this.

Under UEFA rules it is now the responsibility of the Bundesliga club to find an alternative venue for the match, with London already suggested as a potential host.

Another alternative is that the clubs agree to switch the two legs, meaning that the first leg takes place at Anfield instead.

UEFA rules state that Leipzig need to notify them of their plans by February 8 or they risk forfeiting the match.

They then "must propose a suitable alternative venue which may be in a neutral country (within the territory of a UEFA member association) that would allow the match to take place without any restrictions for both clubs".

Manchester City are due to face Borussia Moenchengladbach in Germany on February 24, but by then the ban should have been lifted.

Damn, imagine Leipzig been forced to forfeit because of that. That would be terrible. Just the fact they might lose the home advantage of the home game is already bad enough.