Germany sets ball rolling despite controversy

In the end, not even Salomon Kalou managed to stop the Bundesliga from restarting next weekend.

Two days after the former Ivory Coast international live-streamed a five-minute interaction in the Hertha Berlin changing rooms in which he – and other players – blatantly disregarded the social distancing and hygiene rules related to the Covid-19 coronavirus, German politicians gave the thumbs-up for the Bundesliga to go ahead.

A day later, the German Football League (DFL) announced via a virtual press conference that the two tiers of the Bundesliga would resume, albeit behind closed doors.

Earlier, the DFL had given the politicians a lengthy report in which it outlined plans to restart the 2019/20 season while trying to secure the health of all those involved.

In the press conference, DFL boss Christian Seifert said the games would start on Saturday and not, as is normally the case, on a Friday.

“The politicians said we could start playing again in the second half of May. Friday is the 15th of May; that is not an option as it does not fall in the second half of May. We are adhering strictly to what politicians are telling us.”

Not all clubs are in favour of starting so early, however, as the training conditions are not the same throughout Germany.

Struggling Werder Bremen, who are currently 17th – four points from safety, but with a game in hand – argued that they needed more time as they had less time to prepare than other clubs.

In Baden-Württemberg, home to Freiburg and Hoffenheim, as well as four second-division clubs, full-scale training with the whole squad was still not permitted on Friday.

“Of course we accept the DFL decision, but, in line with competitive integrity, we would have preferred a later start,” former Germany international Frank Baumann, who is the Werder Bremen chief executive, said.

The DFL plans for the remainder of the season to see two so-called English weeks with mid-week games and the possibility of a third week with mid-week games.

The season is to finish on June 27, with Seifert saying that they did not want to commit to a date for the start of the new season yet.

“Ideally, we will start in August. There is some pressure because of the Euros, which have been postponed to 2021, and, as far as we know, most leagues are planning to start in August. However, we also need to see what happens with the Champions League, as well as international fixtures.”

Players, coaching staff and all personnel who deal directly with the players, such as physiotherapists, will be tested regularly and will have to spend two weeks in isolation should they test positive for Covid-19.

Read: Bundesliga to resume, but at what cost?

The DFL – and by extension government officials – is not insisting on a two-week isolation period for the whole club if an individual tests positive.

Referees as well as officials involved in the video assistant referee system will also be tested regularly.

Seifert said that clubs would have to play games, irrespective of whether they had players who were sick or not, as long as they had enough healthy players.

“There are regulations in place on how many players each club has to have available. If they have that number of players, then they have to play. If they do not have enough players, they do not have to play.”

Like most European leagues, Bundesliga matches are shown mainly on subscription-based broadcasting platforms, but the rights holders have already announced that they will make the first two match days available for free.

“That is a good thing and it makes me very happy. I think the broadcaster has made an important step that takes these specific circumstances into consideration. They have set a good example in these difficult times,” Seifert said.

Government officials had earlier said they were worried that, if the games were not available for all, then groups of people would meet outside the stadium or meet up to watch together.

“I don’t think there will be a problem with fans, and we can only appeal that people watching the games at home adhere to the regulations. I think that is where the DFL’s responsibility ends.”

European football governing body Uefa said it was pleased that the Bundesliga would resume.

“It is great news that the German authorities have agreed that the Bundesliga can return,” said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.

“This is a big and positive step to bring people back to optimism. It is the result of constructive dialogue and careful planning between the football authorities and politicians, and I am confident that Germany will be a shining example for all of us.

"It will show a way to bring football – with all its excitement, emotion and unpredictability – back into our lives. I wish everyone who is involved a lot of success.”

But one player who will not be involved in the restart is Kalou, who was suspended by Hertha Berlin and will, in all likelihood, not play for the club again as his contract expires at the end of next month.

Get in touch  City Press

+27 11 713 9001 news@citypress.co.za Media Park, 69 Kingsway Road, Auckland Park

Rise above the clutter | Choose your news | City Press in your inbox

City Press is an agenda-setting South African news brand that publishes across platforms. Its flagship print edition is distributed on a Sunday.