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On Saturday May 16, the eyes of the sports world will be on the German Bundesliga as it returns to action after a 61-day hiatus due to the coronavirus. It will be the first of Europe’s elite leagues to return to action and as the English Premier League, Italian Serie A and Spanish League try to regain and complete their 2019-20 seasons, the Bundesliga will be under the spotlight.
Fredi Bobic, sports director at Eintracht Frankfurt, told ESPN exclusively on Friday that at one stage, it looked like it was “50/50” whether the league would return or be canceled. But now that the league is back, the players and staff know very well the scrutiny they are under.
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“Everyone will look at the Bundesliga to see how the players are on and off the field. Hopefully they will do it in a positive way. Many of our colleagues can participate in that, if everything works, the manual, the plan, everything, we can give that to other federations and other sports. “
With Bayern Munich leading the Bundesliga by four points, they are the team to beat. Its CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge praised the decision of the DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga, the body in charge of German soccer leagues) to play the rest of the league games, saying the decision “ensures that sports decisions are taken in the field and not in the boardroom. ” But there are still unknowns. It took countless hours of conference calls and comments from medical professionals to bring the Bundesliga to this stage where German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave her blessing on Wednesday for proposals to get the league back on track.
ESPN spoke to league sources and clubs about various plans and contingencies on how they will resume play.
With additional reports by Stephan Uersfeld, Jonathan Harding and Constantin Eckner
Will the players be fit and ready by May 16?
Most clubs returned to training in early April. They required permission from their local state, and they all had to adhere to the DFL’s list of 11 guideline points. They were told to respect social distancing and to keep nonessential time on the training ground to a minimum. Some players trained in masks.
Bayern Munich was one of the first Bundesliga teams to train again and practiced in small groups of three or four players, focusing on skill exercises and respecting the rules of social distancing. The sessions were contactless; Manuel Neuer and the rest of the goalkeepers trained in a separate group, only interacting with the field players during shooting practice.
Head coach Hans-Dieter Flick and his assistants use poles and pylons to direct players and fools as opponents. The sessions end with intense sprints, but there is no time to shower afterwards, as they are closed on the training ground. Players collect food packages to take home as team meals are prohibited with locker rooms limited to two players at a time.
At RB Leipzig, each player has a single room at Cottaweg, their luxurious training facility, and at noon every day, lunch is placed outside their door. At Bayer Leverkusen, players were grouped based on their role in the team, for example, those who play on the right train in the same group, and the cardboard cutouts are used to simulate opponents. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim has focused on the mental attention of his players through a series of short videos and tactical lessons done via tablets. They have installed a 360-degree screen on their training ground for even more complex mind games.
In Mainz 05, sports director Rouven Schroder believes that this unusual situation has offered players and coaches the opportunity to “go back to the roots” of why they play the game. They have adopted a “street football” mentality anchored in how to beat your opponent in one-on-one situations, handling name calling and remembering those days in the park when you played when you were young. To replicate an atmosphere behind closed doors, they have been training on their old, empty Bruchwegstadion ground, which they left in 2011 for the Opel Arena.
Werder Bremen, who is in a relegation battle, was one of the teams that had to wait to train again, as the State of Bremen took longer to give them permission to train in small groups. While other teams were back in contactless training, head coach Florian Kohfeldt said his club had been left in “limbo” and hoped it would not lead to a “disadvantage” in the future.
Of course, it will take time for the teams to catch up. Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hutter predicts his team would need 10-14 days of regular training before he is ready for a competitive league match, while some players are also concerned that the rush to return to competitive matches may cause injury. On Thursday, Union Berlin defender Neven Subotic, 31, said returning to full team training felt strange.
“It will be great risk management and trying to end a season with the fewest casualties,” Subotic told the BBC World Service.
Bobic agrees that injuries are a concern. “It is a short time [until] the first game and you don’t have a preseason or anything like that. So we have to start from [scratch]. It will be interesting to see first when you play what kind of football you receive. [The players] they are not afraid but from the soccer side, it is a risk. “
Why the rush to get the Bundesliga back?
Schalke 04 warned of “threat to existence” concerns if the league did not return in June. Football as a sport faces unprecedented financial stress as clubs face the absence of earnings on the day. Up to 18 of the 36 teams in Germany’s two main divisions could have faced serious financial difficulties if the leagues had not returned this season, according to Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert. He said that if the leagues were canceled, they would lose in the region of $ 800 million (€ 750m).
Hans-Joachim Watzke, CEO of Borussia Dortmund, said ominously “that the Bundesliga would not exist in its current form” if the season were canceled. This echoed what the DFL executive committee said in April: “We do not want an economic crisis to cause structural damage that may be irreparable and radically change the face of German professional football.” Therefore, setting the games back on television, even without viewers, was established as a priority, with the DFL launching a “Task Force Sports Medicine / Special Game Operations” on March 31. In mid-April, he offered a 51-page plan for how the games would be held behind closed doors.
Amid optimism that blockade regulations would be loosened in Germany, in late April, the DFL secured payment of the final share of television rights revenue for all but one station. The first installment of three of the € 254 million ($ 274 million) was paid on May 2 and gave the clubs a financial break, and sources told ESPN that some teams in the two leagues had already guaranteed unpaid earnings to various creditors. The other two installments depend on the matches being completed.
What were some of the biggest concerns about the resumption of the season?
Amid a global pandemic, there is concern that players and staff will contract the coronavirus and then spread the virus. This is where the DFL workforce comes into play, detailing in-depth social distancing, hygiene, and the practicalities of limiting contact when necessary.
There have been concerns that DFL will skew the testing ability of the general public due to the 25,000 required tests that Bundesliga players and staff would need to end the season. But Germany has enough testing capacity right now (860,000 weekly testing capacity in calendar week 17) and the DFL has said it won’t take anything away from the public. They are also paying for the tests.
Are the players being tested?
Players and staff are evaluated twice a week. In the weeks of the match day, players are evaluated the day before a match and on another occasion during the week (in double match weeks, players will be evaluated before both matches). They are given two tests, nose and throat, to help prevent false results and come to the laboratory as a PCR (polymerase chain reaction test). The results are delivered to the team’s chief physician at 10 a.m. morning of the games. The teams also receive antibody tests.
At Bayer Leverkusen, players receive a message every morning on their phone, asking five questions about how they feel. Depending on their responses, they are given permission to go to the training where, upon arrival, their temperature is verified.
The DFL conducted 1,724 tests at the end of April / beginning of May in the Bundesliga / 2. Bundesliga The governing body announced on May 4 that these tests produced 10 positive results, three of them from Cologne. The club said the three had no symptoms and that training would continue normally, but caused controversy with Birger Verstraete of Cologne, who broke ranks on Belgian television, where he questioned the club’s policy.
“We trained in two groups and you know the children were extremely close to me,” Verstraete told VTM. “The test was done on Thursday around 4 p.m. And before that we had been together constantly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We worked together, we trained together. Thursday’s test did not show that I am positive and that’s why there will be another test tomorrow. ” Verstraete, whose girlfriend has a previous heart condition, said the club’s call not to quarantine the entire team “is a little strange,” adding that “my head is not on football.”
Verstraete later apologized for his comments, but concern over the spread of the coronavirus led the Bundesliga team, Erzgebirge Aue, to put his entire squad and staff in isolation at home after having a positive test on his “functional team “
What about the families of the players?
The DFL plan sets out a list of recommendations and requirements that players must follow if they return home between games.
During the rest of the season, anyone in a player’s home is subject to voluntary testing. Players cannot have physical contact with neighbors or the public, they must respect the six-foot social distance rule, visitors are not allowed at home and they are prohibited from using public transport: Union Berlin’s Subotic is one of the few players who still travels everywhere by this method These rules apply to everyone who lives in the player’s house.
They should also keep a note of all the people they are in contact with and if anyone violates the rules of social distancing, players are advised to return to quarantine until they have been evaluated.
Will players be quarantined before the season begins?
There were suggestions that Merkel was considering implementing a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for the teams before the start of the Bundesliga, but this has been reduced to one week. The teams will go to a seven-day training camp and isolation on May 8 and will be regularly evaluated as they resume full contact training before games resume on May 16.
For Borussia Mönchengladbach, this means that they will be staying at the Borussia-8-Grad hotel, located next to their land. Bayern are likely to train away from their state-of-the-art Sabener Strausse headquarters and instead head to the Bayern campus where the youth and women’s teams coach. Before the home games, Bayern will use the Infinity Hotel in Unterschleissheim, the largest hotel and conference center in southern Germany.
RB Leipzig will likely stay on their training ground, where players have 18-square-meter rooms with TVs and internet access. Union Berlin heads to Barsinghausen, near Hannover, to prevent players from leaving the hotel. Hertha Berlin is at her normal team hotel in Berlin city center and will travel to her training camp near the Olympiastadion. Borussia Dortmund will use its normal equipment hotel outside the city limits.
All eyes are on the German Bundesliga to see if they can safely resume and complete the 2019-20 season.
What happens if players test positive for the coronavirus?
The official protocol of the DFL establishes: “In the case of positive test results, the decision on the measures to be taken rests with the local health authorities.” Clubs have extensively implemented a 14-day quarantine period for positive players and staff.
The goal is to minimize the spread of the virus, and clubs will seek guidance from their local authorities in the event that players or staff are exposed to someone who is positive for the coronavirus. If they have been in direct contact with an infected person for more than 15 minutes, they are “category one” and have a high risk of infection. “Category two” people are those at low risk and who have not had direct or indirect contact for more than 15 minutes with an infected person.
In the event of a positive test, the team doctor informs the local health authority and the DFL while also isolating the player. If a player shows symptoms, they are tested at home or at a driving test station. If a player begins to show symptoms before the test, protocols state that they must inform the team doctor and isolate themselves. They are also told to avoid exhausting physical activities. If they have no symptoms but still test positive, they will contact the team doctor to determine if they can continue exercising on their own.
Meanwhile, the club is being asked not to issue any official communication, and the DFL has advised them to operate with a team large enough, including academy players, to cover players absent due to quarantine.
What about party officials?
Around 100 referees and assistant referees will be evaluated next week before the league returns and if an official tests positive, a new referee will be appointed. If that is not possible, the fourth officer will intervene. All the referees will be evaluated the day before the matches and will be asked to refrain from posting on their social media accounts.
How many people will be in the stadiums on game day?
The DFL has prepared a “dynamic personnel plan” that says a maximum of 322 people are allowed in and around the stadiums for Bundesliga games. This includes players, coaches, referees, cameramen, anti-doping officers, butlers, security, ground personnel, and ball boys. All have their temperature controlled upon arrival. Anyone deemed a risk will be sent home.
For the Bundesliga games, the DFL has divided these 322 staff members into three zones: 98 people can enter the field (22 players, three photographers, four ball boys, four security, five officials, 15 VAR technicians, three hygiene employees, four medical employees). , 18 substitutes and 20 coaches). There are 115 other employees allowed in the stands (10 from security, four doctors, seven league representatives, two anti-doping officers, five stadium operators, eight team members, eight from the local team delegation, four from the team delegation visitor, five hygiene employees, two firefighters, four police officers, 10 print media, 23 from television companies, four analysts and 19 VAR / TV technicians). Outside the stadium there are 109 authorized people (50 from security, 14 from TV Crew, 37 VAR / TV technicians and eight ground employees).
What will a day be like under these conditions?
The working group plan establishes strict stipulations. If a game is held at 3:30 p.m. In the afternoon, the preparation begins at 8 in the morning when eight ground keepers arrive at the stadium to take care of the field. Two hours later, the 90 people necessary for VAR, satellite feeding and television production arrive. During these first hours, 32 security guards ensure that no one enters the area without permission. At noon, police, paramedics, firefighters and the first team members arrive, among others.
Three and a half hours before the start, 226 people are already present. As all this is happening, players and coaches are preparing for their departure from the hotel or training center. They are expected to arrive about 90 minutes before the start. Players must be transported on multiple buses or vans that have been sanitized beforehand, and teams must be instructed to stagger arrival. Players and staff should stay approximately five feet from each other and wear face masks when they arrive at the stadium. For home games, players can drive their own cars to the stadium, although sharing is not allowed.
Once the players are in the stadium, they are recommended to use their elbow when operating the elevators and community meals are not allowed. Hand sanitizing stations are in every room used in the stadium.
The initial XIs change clothes first and are then replaced, who then enter the locker room area. If the locker room area is small (for example, in the Veltins-Arena in Schalke), the clubs should determine the different access routes. If the area is spacious, as in Bayern’s Allianz Arena, for example, then players should be as scattered as possible. In general, the DFL advises using as many rooms as possible to prepare for the game. Players should only spend 30-40 minutes in the locker room area and during that time, they should still stay at least five feet away and wear face masks.
Match officials will be changed in a shared locker room, but they must follow the rules of hygiene and distance. They have also been ordered to travel to the stadium on game day instead of staying nearby the night before.
Equipment such as balls and shoes will be checked by the official room at the locker room doors. The balls are disinfected before and during the match, while a maximum of four ball children are allowed in the match; everyone must be at least 16 years old. They are asked to disinfect their hands frequently.
Once the players leave their locker rooms, they have to leave the required space in the tunnel. Empty changing rooms are disinfected.
Any premature ceremony will be kept to a minimum as there are no player pets or handshakes between opponents. No team photos were taken because players are unable to assemble before kickoff.
Substitutes must leave at least one or two empty seats with each other on the bench. If the benches are too small to accommodate everyone and the coaching staff, clubs can use the seats in the stands to maintain a safe space. In addition to bench players and coaches, only the fourth official, medical personnel, ball boys, security personnel, and camera operators are allowed around the midline and the bench area. Players will be rehydrated with individual disposable bottles.
The task force plan ends with the resolved message: “Public opinion on professional football, teams and players in the current situation becomes more important than ever. We urgently call for exemplary behavior regarding hygiene measures. and distance off the field of play. ” “
What will the games be like behind closed doors once the teams are on the field?
The DFL was concerned about games being played in front of the empty stands. “Spectatorless games are not what we want, but at the moment, the only thing that seems feasible,” Seifert said in April. The clubs have already promoted novel ways to combat the gaps with Borussia Mönchengladbach, offering their followers the opportunity to buy cardboard cutouts of their own to fill the gaps (they cost approximately $ 20), with the proceeds going to local charities.
Bobic’s Eintracht Frankfurt has already played behind closed doors twice in the Europa League this season. He said “it was not a pleasant experience” and that it takes time to get used to the “totally different atmosphere in the stadium”.
Fans can also send banners to their club the day before the game. The club then places these banners inside the stadium on game day. But clubs are asked to refrain from installing any type of sound system that generates artificial crowd noise during play.
How about keeping fans away from games?
With mass gatherings banned in Germany until August 31, there were other concerns about supporters flocking outside the grounds, such as the scenes outside the Parc des Princes on March 11 when PSG played against Borussia Dortmund behind closed doors. in the Champions League. But Bobic explains that the strictest measures have been put in place to prevent fans from showing up.
“We talked a lot to our own fans in Frankfurt and said listen, don’t show up at the stadium. If you show up at the stadium, we will lose this game because the rules are too strict,” says Bobic. “If they appear, the result is for the visiting team. It is not allowed, we have reopened many things, but that is not allowed, there are no large groups. Do not appear at the stadium, it makes no sense.
The Dortmund-Schalke 04 Revierderby takes place the first weekend and is usually played in front of more than 80,000 fans at Dortmund’s home in Signal Iduna Park. But Dortmund police told ESPN that they are confident that groups of fans will not appear. The police will monitor the stadium since the rules of social distancing are still in force.
Were they ever considered neutral spots to reduce the risk of local fans flocking outside?
While the Premier League is considering ending the season in neutral spots, the DFL only thought about it briefly. ESPN sources say that playing in neutral places was never a realistic possibility.
Will players wear skins during the game itself? What about the coaches or umpires?
The German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs drafted a document a few weeks ago that discussed players wearing masks during a match, but this was deemed impractical because they need to breathe freely during play. The same goes for the referees and their two assistants.
However, managers must wear masks, although they are allowed to lower it to shout instructions if they are kept at a safe distance from others. The fourth officer must also use one; so do coaches and bench players if they cannot maintain the required social distance. The three VAR operatives in each game will wear masks and be placed side by side, but with temporary acrylic glass walls that separate them.
What about the conditions in the game piece set? Will players be able to celebrate goals? Change shirts? Spit if necessary?
These details are still being discussed, but the Bundesliga told clubs on Friday that players cannot celebrate together, exchange five, or hug. “Short contact with the elbow or foot” is permitted. “[The players] they are so creative. I’m excited to see what will happen if someone scores, “says Bobic. Players are also asked not to spit, except during rehydration.
Goalkeepers should refrain from shouting instructions between posts, while referees should remind players of the guidelines if they are deemed not to comply with the rules. It will be up to the arbitrators to use their own discretion in certain circumstances. If the players surround the referee or get too close to him, he will remind them to keep their distance, but do not reserve them immediately. Nor will he warn the coach if he takes off his mask to shout something to the players on the field, as long as they maintain their social distance.
Other than that, it’s the usual after the premature coin toss.
What happens after the game?
Players are highly recommended to shower at home or at the hotel. They are also expected to wash their own kit and boots. Players will not give any interviews in the mixed zone, a typical practice, with press conferences instead of a video call. Approximately 90 minutes after the final whistle, most of the players have already left the stadium and are back at the hotel. Only four players will remain in the stadium if they are chosen for random drug tests.
With the rest of the sports world watching the German Bundesliga, is your reputation at stake?
DFL CEO Seifert said the Bundesliga is “on probation” and Bobic agrees.
“It is a risk because no one was in this situation before,” Bobic said. “So that’s the biggest problem and it’s a question mark.” He believes the league is well prepared, but says that everyone should manage the process. “The boys have to [concentrate on] football and we have to talk about that. The other things … I’m sure we can handle all of these guidelines that we got in this special league and federation handbook.
“The pressure is on us. [All] 36 clubs will start [next weekend]. It is not easy because a lot of stupid things can happen, but we will try. And then, when hopefully everything goes well, everyone can say at the end, you know, ‘typical made in Germany.’ “
Source: espn.co.uk
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