Bundesliga: Augsburg manager to miss season restart after breaking quarantine rules

FC Augsburg manager Heiko Herrlich is set to miss his side's Bundesliga return after he was found breaching quarantine rules. He reportedly left his team hotel in order to buy toothpaste.

Herrlich's side would face Wolfsburg on Saturday. On Thursday, through a video press conference, he spoke about his trip to a shop, which directly violates league rules.

The German teams are currently preparing for the Bundesliga to restart this weekend. Before that happens, every participant has been instructed to stay in quarantine.

The 48-year-old German was appointed as Augsburg's head coach on March 10. Accordingly, the team's home match against Wolfsburg would have been his first in charge. However, it now seems that he has to wait a bit longer before he could see his boys in action.

FC Augsburg tweeted, "Heiko Herrlich will not support the team on Saturday due to a violation of the COVID protocol."

Before that, Herrlich said, "I made a mistake by leaving the hotel. In this situation, I was not able to act as a role model for my team and the public. I have no toothpaste and then I went to a supermarket. I will, therefore, be consistent and stand by my mistake. Because of this misconduct, I will not be leading the training [on Friday] and will not be in charge of the team against Wolfsburg on Saturday."

Augsburg has clarified that the club's players and staff members are being tested regularly for the novel coronavirus. The German side also stated Herrlich would be allowed to continue training once he serves his suspension.

BBC reveals that the former Bayer Leverkusen coach has tested negative for COVID-19 on two separate occasions.

Augsburg is currently in the 14th spot in the Bundesliga. They are just five points ahead of the 16th placed Fortuna Düsseldorf. Fortuna Düsseldorf is in the relegation zone.

The Bundesliga would become the first major European football league to resume, following a two-month break because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is understood that the teams would be permitted up to five substitutions per game. Additionally, teams would be relegated as necessary, given that the season is completed.

The current Bundesliga season would continue beyond its re-scheduled deadline of June 30 and if necessary, the tournament may run well into July.