Fuball reacts to Corona: step back instead of forward

Frankfurt/Main

German football is reacting to the worsening corona situation.

In view of the upcoming third wave, which, according to Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU), cannot be stopped by vaccinations, the German Football League (DFL) is planning to tighten the hygiene concept. In addition, some Bundesliga clubs only want to partially or not at all release players for upcoming international trips abroad. On the other hand, the third division club FC Hansa Rostock plans to play the duel against Halleschen FC in front of 777 spectators on Saturday.

According to dpa information, the DFL Presidium intends to decide on daily corona rapid tests for the 36 first and second division clubs from April 1 in the coming week. Only the days on which there are no contacts within the teams should be excluded from the new regulation. The previously prescribed two PCR tests per week will continue to be carried out. The DFL is apparently reacting to the increasing number of corona cases in professional football, which recently led to several game failures in the 2nd Bundesliga. The players from Holstein Kiel and Hannover 96 are currently in quarantine, before that Jahn Regensburg caught it.

“I think this is a very, very sensible adjustment to minimize the risk of infection,” said Werder Bremen’s managing director Frank Baumann on Friday. For coach Robert Klau from 1. FC Nürnberg there is concern that the season will be interrupted in view of the increasing number of corona infections and teams in quarantine. “You try to do everything possible to get around that,” said Klau.

Meanwhile, the clubs are faced with another problem: should they let their national players travel to the upcoming international matches or not? “It is still the case that you look at it with a little bit of concern,” said trainer Sebastian Hoene from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Last autumn there were numerous corona cases after international matches in the Bundesliga. However, there is only an exemption from the obligation to park if the players are threatened with quarantine after their return.

In the event of an impending corona quarantine when they return to Munich, Bayern will currently not deploy their top striker Robert Lewandowski for Poland’s World Cup qualifier in England. “With Robert it is like this: If the situation is as it is now, we will not agree. If the rules say something different, we will support it,” said Bayern coach Hansi Flick on Friday. Poland plays in England on March 31st. Three days later, the table leader from Munich has to compete in the league duel that may be decisive for the title against pursuers RB Leipzig.

Bayern’s defender Alaba will definitely not play for Austria in Scotland, as will his colleague from Augsburg, Michael Gregoritsch. His club colleague Ruben Vargas, on the other hand, will be allowed to travel to Switzerland. Laszlo Benes will have to skip the Slovaks game in Cyprus, but not the two following in Slovakia.

SC Freiburg and Borussia Mnchengladbach will also allow their national players to travel to at least part of the international matches. “We’re letting the players go two games,” said coach Christian Streich. The club accepts the possible quarantine for the professionals after they return to Baden. Gladbach’s sports director Max Eberl said: “According to FIFA, it is allowed that the players do not have to go to crisis areas. We also reserve the right to call the boys back immediately if something should change on site.”

Meanwhile, many are looking to Rostock, where on Saturday FC Hansa will be the first German professional club to play in front of fans again after an almost five-month break. During the pilot project, “representatives of other sports clubs and organizers from our country as well as other football clubs such as Union Berlin will be on site to get an idea of ​​the implementation of our concept and our measures and to be able to benefit from our test run “announced the third division team. With the knowledge gained from the processes, the aim is also to pave the way for other clubs and organizers to be able to return spectators as quickly as possible.

dpa-infocom, dpa: 210319-99-886490 / 4

–