German Bundesliga returns: What did football's new reality look like?
- Published
Borussia Dortmund thrashed rivals Schalke 4-0 as players celebrated goals by bumping elbows
The German Bundesliga restarted on Saturday and gave a glimpse into what the Premier League and other top leagues may look like if they return.
South Korea's K League kicked off last weekend, while some smaller leagues such as Belarus and Nicaragua have never stopped - but this was the first elite football in over two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
So what did football in May 2020 - played behind closed doors and with some social distancing - look like?
Temperature checks, several buses and disinfected balls
This screen at RB Leipzig told people to wash their hands
Teams arrived in several buses so players could socially distance on the journey to the game.
Players and staff had all been quarantining in team hotels all week and are being tested for coronavirus regularly.
As they left the buses they wore facemasks on their way into the ground.
Other people attending the games, including the media, had their temperatures checked.
Fans were banned from matches, with police patrolling to make sure no crowds gathered at the venues. Only 213 people were allowed into the ground - 98 on and around the pitch (like players, coaches and ball boys) and 115 in the stands (such as security, medics and media).
Another 109 people (including security and VAR operators) were allowed just outside the stadium.
Footballs were disinfected by ball boys before the game and again at half-time.
There were 30 match balls, each of them disinfected by ball boys and left on special spots rather than handing them to players
Socially-distanced substitutes
Substitutes all sat apart and wore masks
Substitutes and coaches wore masks and socially distanced on individual seats on the bench - or in some cases in the front rows of the empty stands behind the benches.
RB Leipzig, who drew with Freiburg 1-1, brought in a set of airport stairs so players could get to and from their seats in the stands.
Head coaches were allowed to go without a mask so they could shout instructions to their players.
Substitutes took off their masks to warm up, and when players were replaced they were handed a mask before reaching the bench.
Elbow bumps instead of hugs
Some goals were met by social-distancing celebrations...
... and some were not
The actual play itself was no different to normal with tackles flying in and plenty of goals - 16 - across Saturday's six games.
But there was some social distancing on show for goals as many strikes were celebrated without the usual embraces - think elbow bumps instead of hugs.
However, some goals - notably those by Hertha Berlin players in their 3-0 win at Hoffenheim - were celebrated as normal. Hertha will not be punished as the German league asking players not to embrace is a guideline and not a rule.
With only a few dozen people making noise on the benches, television viewers could hear the players and managers talking, as well as the sound of the ball being kicked - and hitting the back of the net.
Teams were allowed to use five substitutes in a game - which other leagues will have the option to do when they return. So Schalke, in their 4-0 defeat by Borussia Dortmund, were able to make two substitutions at half-time - and another three after the break.
Applauding empty stands
Borussia Dortmund players ran over to celebrate in front of the empty South Bank
After the final whistle Borussia Dortmund's players went across to their famous South Bank to celebrate in front of the empty stand, which is known as the Yellow Wall and holds 25,000 fans.
Wolfsburg players kicked boots with the officials afterwards
Wolfsburg players kicked boots with the referee and his assistants, rather than the usual handshakes, following their 2-1 victory at Augsburg.
Elsewhere, fist bumps and elbow bumps were the name of the game.
Players and managers were interviewed by television reporters with microphones on sticks, keeping to a safe distance, while post-match news conferences were done by video conferencing.
RB Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen was interviewed from a safe distance
Did the fans stay away?
Police made sure fans could not congregate outside
One of the reasons Premier League games could be played at neutral venues is to avoid fans congregating outside their own ground during a game.
But that did not appear to be an issue in Germany on Saturday.
Dortmund police spokesperson Olivier Peiler said: "It's surprisingly quiet. We had expected and calculated various scenarios, but we didn't expect that only a few fans would come to the stadium and the city centre.
"Apparently the pleas by the city and police to stay and watch the match at home have worked out. We are very pleased by this in order to avoid infections."
Not everyone was happy though. Augsburg fans put a banner in an empty stand saying "football gives life - your business is sick" in protest at football continuing during the pandemic.
'If you can't celebrate, the whole thing breaks down' - What did the managers think?
After a goalless draw with Paderborn, Fortuna Dusseldorf manager Uwe Rosler said: "The day was a bit odd. I am an emotional man, I like to take a player in my arms, which I obviously couldn't do today."
Dortmund coach Lucien Favre, said: "There is no noise. You shoot at the goal, you make a great pass, you score, and nothing happens. It's very, very weird."
Freiburg coach, Christian Streich, told a virtual news conference: "Obviously, it's sad the fans cannot watch the game, that we can't meet up and go to the game and play this game together.
"This is not something that can go on indefinitely. But under these conditions I did not expect a drop in quality because of a lack of fans and we did not see that."
Hertha Berlin boss Bruno Labbadia defended his side celebrating their goals without social distancing.
"The fact is that this is part of football," he said. "We've been tested so many times that we can allow it.
"If you can't celebrate anymore, the whole thing breaks down. I'm just glad that the team had reason to cheer today."
'Like playing basketball at school' - How did other people react?
Former Bayern Munich and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who was doing BT Sport punditry from his own house, said: "I am missing the fans already. It was so strange, it is going to take some getting used to.
"Football without the fans is tough to watch."
BBC live text reader Jonathan Chilvers said: "Atmosphere at Dortmund vs Schalke reminds me of playing Year 10 basketball in the school sports hall."
Marty Waddell tweeted: "Nope. Sorry. As much as I love and miss football, that just wasn't right. And i still miss it just as much (if not more)."