Soccer-Leipzig CEO says Europa League match v Spartak will be cancelled

(Reuters) - RB Leipzig chief executive officer Oliver Mintzlaff said the German club are assuming their last-16 Europa League tie against Russian team Spartak Moscow will be cancelled.

RB Leipzig are due to host Spartak Moscow in the first leg on March 10, with the second leg scheduled for March 17. But those matches seem to be under doubt following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Also, German's transport ministry said at the weekend that it was closing its airspace to Russian planes and airlines for three months. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."

"We continue to be in close contact with the associations and have complete confidence in UEFA and their decision. We assume the games will be cancelled," Mintzlaff said in a statement on Monday.

Earlier, German newspaper BILD reported that UEFA is planning to remove Spartak Moscow from the second-tier European competition.

Reuters has contacted UEFA for comment.

Last week, UEFA said the home games of Ukrainian and Russian club and national teams competing in UEFA competitions would be played at neutral venues "until further notice".

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)