Zambian duo of striker Patson Daka and midfielder Enock Mwepu is part of the Redbull Salzburg squad that traveled to Isreal earlier today ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League playoff round first leg encounter against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The influential duo is key in coach Jesse Marsch’s plan to guide Salzburg to the group stage for the second time in a row following last year’s impressive showing that saw them cause a scare at Anfield in a 4-3 defeat.
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However, there are health concerns after Tel Aviv announced that six of its players have tested positive for the coronavirus, along with seven staff members and its technical manager, Barak Yitzhaki. UEFA’s Corona regulations have so far given the go-ahead for the match to take place but have continued to monitor the situation.
Half of the first eleven is out of the match, Dor Peretz, Avi Rikan, Daniel Peretz, Nick Blackman, Enric Saborit, Yonatan Cohen, and Glazer all tested positive according to the Israeli media. UEFA regulations state that 13 field players plus 2 goalkeepers must be healthy to play a game. In addition, an unlimited number of young players may be nominated on a B-list.
Salzburg sports director Christoph Freund is certain that Maccabi will try everything to actually hold the game at Bloomfield Stadium on Tuesday evening.
“And UEFA will want to do that too, as long as it is somehow acceptable in terms of health,” Freund told SkySports Austria.
For the safety of the Austrian Bundesliga Champions, Maccabi is expected to be tested twice more before the game.
Daka is expected to lead the attack and continue his current form which has seen him net 6 goals in his first three competitive games so far. Daka opened his UCL account last year and will aim to add on that.
Mwepu on the other hand will be deployed in the middle of the park and is expected to control the temple of the game. The former Power Dynamos midfield ace is a versatile player who can also line up in defense should need to arise.
Salzburg is without Zlatko Junuzovic and Oumar Solet who are both injure as well as Jerome Onguene who has been dropped for the trip.
🚪👀 Backstage: today's journey
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