Helpers tried to get the grass dry before the game.
What: Reuters
The quarter-finals in the DFB Cup between third division club 1. FC Saarbrücken and Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach have been cancelled. Due to heavy rain, large pools of water had formed on the playing field in Saarbrücken’s Ludwigsparkstadion.
Helpers on duty in vain
After an initial inspection of the pitch, the initial plan was for the decision to be made when both teams were warming up. Helpers tried to dry the area with leaf blowers.
Both teams then started warm-up training before referee Florian Badstübner called off the game a few minutes before kick-off scheduled for 8:45 p.m.
“It was an extremely difficult decision. We would have liked to whistle,” Badstübner told ZDF. But ultimately the health of the players was the priority.
Space problems already in autumn
The lawn in Ludwigshafen has poor drainage and is therefore more susceptible to rain than most. At the end of October, Saarbrücken’s third division game against Dynamo Dresden was canceled after the first half because the pitch was unplayable.
Historic cup success for 1. FC Saarbrücken: The third division team beat FC Bayern Munich 2-1 in the second round of the DFB Cup.01.11.2023 | 5:59 minutes
Source: with material from dpa