Bundesliga to kick off despite blow: DFL
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Borussia Dortmund taking on Wolfsburg in front of empty stands in 2017 due to a one-match ban for Dortmund fans. The Signal Iduna Park is set to be closed to fans when Dortmund take on derby rivals Schalke when the Bundesliga restarts on Saturday.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BERLIN • The Bundesliga restart is not at risk even after the entire squad of second-tier Dynamo Dresden was placed under quarantine, the head of the German Football League (DFL) yesterday insisted.
Dynamo were ordered to self-isolate for 14 days on Saturday night after testing uncovered two new coronavirus cases. The blow came just days after Chancellor Angela Merkel's government gave the green light for the current season to resume this Saturday following a two-month absence.
But DFL boss Christian Seifert downplayed the Dynamo setback, telling broadcaster ZDF: "It's not a reason to call the entire season into question. It was always clear to me that this could happen. We're at the very beginning of the restart."
The Bundesliga, on hold since March 13, will be the first major European football league to restart since the outbreak led to lockdown measures being imposed across the continent.
Matches will be played behind closed doors and with a maximum number of 300 people, including both teams, allowed at each game, and in the run-up to the restart, all teams must go into a one-week quarantine training camp.
Seifert claimed not all teams will have to go into quarantine in the event of a positive test as German law states any response to cases is a matter for local health authorities.
But there are still worries a spike in Covid-19 cases could put an end to the campaign, this time for good. Seifert said that although he saw no problem at the moment, he admitted a wide spread could spell the death knell for the competition, given that it must end by June 30 to be contractually compliant with sponsors and broadcasters.
The Bundesliga stands to lose around €300 million (S$459 million) in outstanding TV revenue if obligations are not met.
"It can reach a scale where it's not feasible anymore," Seifert said. "It would depend on how much time there is left to finish the season. A lot of player contracts are running out (on June 30) so we want to play as many games as possible before then."
The quarantine means that Dynamo, who are bottom of the second division, will not be able to play their fixture against Hanover on Sunday, with that game to be rearranged at a later unspecified date.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
