The fans of football will finally have something to put under the tooth. The German championship is poised Saturday to take over his rights and could then show the example to its european neighbours. The games, which will be played behind closed doors, will be scrutinized throughout Europe. This is the first of five major championships to restart from the beginning of the outbreak of coronavirus.
The stakes are enormous, the pitfalls are many, and the certainties few. If Germany leads the championship term, it will have proven to the world that professional sport can live with the coronavirus. An interruption of the competition before the end would demonstrate the contrary. "Finally, it's starts ", trumpets the online German daily Bild, displaying a countdown before the kick-off of the first meetings at 15: 30 local time, with the question : "Who will be champion of the camera ? ".
Read also When the coronavirus is changing the rules of football
The bible of football in German, Kicker, casts doubt in believing that it is" a departure with question marks ". As to the Spiegel, he wondered if " without the atmosphere in the stadiums, the fans really want football ". A part of the response will appear in the afternoon during the kick-off of the first five games of this 26th day, the first since the beginning of march, given simultaneously in five stages empty of any supporter.
health Measures are draconian
To convince the authorities the germans, the teams have agreed to submit to sanitary measures of a draconian nature, and had in particular to isolate himself from the world all this week. Two coaches have already been excluded from the games this weekend to have violated this quarantine. Heiko Herrlich, Augsburg, guilty of being out of the hotel to go to buy toothpaste in town. And Urs Fischer, his colleague, Union Berlin, who has voluntarily left his group for a grieving family.
also Read Football : a deposit unusual to celebrate goals in Germany
The show promises to be strange. In the echo of anguish of giant speakers deserted, and the players will have to renounce to the effusions of the collective to celebrate their goals. Substitutes and coaches will be wearing masks. The protocol user-friendly pre-game, accompaniment by children, handshakes and photos, will be deleted.
waiting for the other championships ?
" The whole world now look to us ", was found Friday, the coach of Bayern Munich Hansi Flick : "It may be a signal to all other leagues and it may allow the sport to resume everywhere. [...] We have a function example very important. "In particular for Italy, Spain and England, the other three major championships who are planning to return before the summer, but still need to convince their governments. Others, such as France, the netherlands or Belgium since Friday, have already decided to put a definitive end to the season.
also Read Football : and if the OM was deprived of champions League ?
In Germany, where a majority of public opinion is not favourable to the resumption of the championship (56 % of respondents in a poll this week), the public authorities are aware of the political stakes, and have clearly placed a sword of Damocles hanging over the football. Saturday, the displays of the 26th day oppose, precisely, Dortmund, second in the standings, to his neighbor Schalke, in the prestigious " derby of the Ruhr ", closed to the public for the first time in history. The leader in Munich and its stars will not come to the track that Sunday in Berlin, on the lawn of the Union.
Consult our folder : Coronavirus : the world stop
