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The 81,365-capacity Signal Iduna Park will be empty for the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke due to coronavirus concerns. - © Alexander Scheuber/Bundesliga/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images
The 81,365-capacity Signal Iduna Park will be empty for the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke due to coronavirus concerns. - © Alexander Scheuber/Bundesliga/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images
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Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke to be held behind closed doors

Saturday’s Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke at the Signal Iduna Park will be held behind closed doors.

The decision not to allow fans into the stadium was announced by the City of Dortmund following advice from the government of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia as a measure against the spread of coronavirus.

The 96th Bundesliga encounter between local rivals Dortmund and Schalke kicks off at 3.30pm CET/2.30pm GMT/10.30am ET. It is the first time the fixture will be played without fans present, which had never seen an attendance below 27,000.

Translation: The Revierderby between Dortmund and Schalke will be held behind closed doors. The city is expecting a directive from the state this afternoon.

The announcement follows a decision by the City of Mönchengladbach to also hold Wednesday’s rearranged Rhine derby between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Cologne behind closed doors at Borussia-Park.

Dortmund will already play the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie away at Paris Saint-Germain without fans present on Wednesday.