Augsburg coach Heiko Herrlich will miss the restart of the Bundesliga on Saturday after he broke strict quarantine rules by leaving the team hotel to buy toothpaste.
Augsburg host VfL Wolfsburg as the Bundesliga becomes the first of Europe’s major leagues to resume after the coronavirus stoppage.
The club said in a statement that, by leaving the hotel, Herrlich had broken rules set up by a German Football League task force.
“I made a mistake by leaving the hotel,” said Herrlich, who was due to coach Augsburg in a match for the first time on Saturday. “Even though I followed all hygiene measures both when I left the hotel and otherwise, I cannot undo this.
“In this situation I did not live up to my role model function towards my team and the public. I will therefore be consistent and stand by my mistake.
“Because of this mistake I will not lead the training tomorrow and I will not coach the team in the match against Wolfsburg on Saturday.”
Augsburg said Herrlich would have be tested twice and give negative results each time before he could rejoin the team.
“I had no toothpaste and I went to the supermarket,” said Herrlich, who was appointed Augsburg coach in March, 10 days before the Bundesliga was suspended. Reuters
