6. May 2020
Updated May 7, 2020
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Bayern Munich leads the German league table by five points
Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed that the Bundesliga season could resume this month.
It will be the first major league in Europe to return to competition and the German Football League (DFL) has told clubs it wants to resume the season on May 15.
All games will be played behind closed doors.
With nine games remaining, Bayern Munich leads Borussia Dortmund by four points.
The start date will be confirmed via video link on Thursday after the 36 clubs and the Bundesliga meet.
Bayern board chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “I would like to thank politicians for making the decision today.” [and for] The opportunity to end the Bundesliga season.
“We are now looking forward to resuming gaming operations, ideally from mid-May. This ensures that sporting decisions are made on the pitch.”
He added: “I appeal to everyone involved to follow the requirements that form the basis for the resumption of gaming operations as best as possible and in a very disciplined manner.”
Christian Seifert, CEO of the Bundesliga, added: “Today’s decision is good news for the Bundesliga and the 2nd division.”
“It is a great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement medical and official requirements in a disciplined manner.
He added: “Games without fans are not an ideal solution for anyone. Given the crisis that threatens the existence of some clubs, this is the only way to keep the leagues in their current form.”
The announcement comes a day after clubs in Germany’s top two leagues reported 10 positive results from 1,724 coronavirus tests.
The German Bundesliga has warned that many top teams will find themselves in a “financial situation that threatens their existence” if play does not resume by June.
Players returned to training last month, with the Bundesliga initially saying the league would be ready to return on May 9.
Germany has banned large events with crowds until October 24, meaning the games will take place behind closed doors. However, the German Football League has developed a health and safety plan that requires only around 300 people to be on or near the pitch during games to reduce the risk of infection.
According to official information, almost 7,000 people have died in Germany as a result of the coronavirus, a significantly lower number than in other Western European countries such as Great Britain, Italy, France and Spain.
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Borussia Mönchengladbach fans show their support with confetti
It was also announced on Wednesday that the Turkish Super League will resume on June 12, with the aim of completing the season by the end of July.
The head of the country’s football association, Nihat Ozdemir, said that Turkey intends to host the Champions League final in Istanbul next August as planned.
The Croatian league is also set to resume without spectators. Cup matches will take place on May 30, followed by league matches on June 6, subject to government approval.
The Spanish league announced plans to resume games in June and its president Javier Tebas said the league was “satisfied” with the Bundesliga’s decision.
He added: “This is good news for European football and for the return to a new normal after this crisis.”
Analyse
John Bennett, BBC World Service
Over the years we have expected German football to be successful on the pitch, but this feels like a triumph for its clear and detailed planning and, above all, its collective planning off the pitch.
On April 23, Bundesliga president Christian Seifert revealed the league’s proposals to hold games behind closed doors, working with five laboratories and carrying out around 20,000 tests, and this appears to have impressed the local and national government.
This is despite some setbacks in the past week, such as a video posted on social media by Salomon Kalou showing him violating social distancing rules at Hertha Berlin, and the fact that ten players or staff tested positive for the coronavirus .
The clubs have put in a lot of work here and Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director Simon Rolfes assured me this week that his players now feel safe with tests being carried out every three to four days and body temperatures being checked every day when they arrive at the training center . .
They’re certainly under pressure to make this work, with vital TV money at stake. One player told me he felt obliged to play again because Bundesliga clubs didn’t have wealthy owners who could save them.
It will be interesting to see if this news can give the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga additional momentum in their efforts to resume. The German football authorities have shown that there is a need for a joint and united effort from the clubs, the league and the players.
2023-12-30 23:10:40
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