Germany offers hope to other Euro leagues

Germany’s decision that football can return this month provided encouragement for players and teams across Europe yesterday that the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic could soon be coming to an end.

With COVID-19 infections declining, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the return of the top two leagues could be included in the loosening of lockdown measures.

However, supporters will be locked out of stadiums for some time to come across Europe to contain the coronavirus while there is no vaccine.

The Bundesliga is now set to be the first major men’s football competition to resume in Europe after the shutdown of the sport across the continent in March. The Dutch, French and Dutch leagues were all cancelled prematurely after governments decided it is not safe for sport to be staged yet – even without fans.

“This ensures that the sporting decisions are made on the pitch and not in the boardroom,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the chairman of Bayern Munich, who have a four-point lead over Borussia Dortmund with nine games remaining.

“Let’s pick up where you left off, Erling,” Dortmund said in a tweet linking to a compilation of goals by teenage sensation Erling Haaland.

PLANS TO BRING BACK FOOTBALL

Croatia also announced plans yesterday to bring back football on May 30, and Turkey said it was aiming for June 12 and still hopes to host the postponed UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul in August.

The English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga are also seeking government approval to start up again in June.

“The return of the Bundesliga is great news for the football industry and marks the way for the staggered return of football that will not be complete until the return of fans to the stadiums,” La Liga President Javier Tebas said. “We are working so that La Liga will resume soon. Yesterday and today we started the path with medical tests. This is good news for European football and for the return to the new normal after this crisis.”

The new normal meant players wearing face masks and gloves at Barcelona’s disinfected training facility to undergo medical checks, including COVID-19 tests. They will only be allowed back for individual training sessions once the tests come back negative. Then daily tests will be required.

When the league was paused in March, Barcelona held a two-point lead over Real Madrid with 11 games remaining.

AP