Water-logged pitch: German Cup game Saarbrücken v Gladbach postponed

A German Cup quarter-final between giant killing third division Saarbrücken and Borussia Mönchengladbach was postponed minutes before Wednesday's kick-off because of a water-logged pitch.

Stadium staff tried to dry the pitch with leaf blowers in the wake of heavy rain, but with the downpour continuing, and the forecast even grimmer, the cancellation was eventually inevitable.

Huge puddles had formed across the pitch, making a game dangerous for players and too unpredictable.

Both teams came onto the pitch to salute their fans in the packed stadium.

It was not clear immediately when the game would be played.

Referee Florian Badstübner told reporters that the pitch was "in a disastrous condition.

"It was a brutally difficult decision but the injury risk was too high. We tried everything to have a match. None of the teams was surprised by the decision," he said.

Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus told Sky TV: "We would have liked to play but it was the absolutely correct decision not to play. The players' health comes first.

"We will find a date that suits both teams. But first the pitch must be in an acceptable condition again."

Saarbrücken sporting director Jürgen Luginger said: "It made sense to cancel the game although we would have liked to have played."

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen and second tier sides Fortuna Düsseldorf and Kaiserslautern have qualified for the semi-finals which are drawn on Saturday and played April 2 and 3. The final is on May 25 in Berlin.

Last autumn, a Saarbrücken league match against Dynamo Dresden was abandoned at half-time because of too much water on the pitch.

The surface was dried in time to allow their Cup game against Bayern Munich to go ahead three days later, with Saarbrücken winning 2-1 in a huge upset. They then also ousted 2018 winners Eintracht Frankfurt to reach the last eight.