"There are worse places to be trapped. When I wake up, I watch the sun rise over the forest and the lake. Back home, I only hear the sound of traffic."

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If you thought your lockdown experience was weird, get a load of this tale of the young musicians stranded in a moated castle in eastern Germany for 73 days after Bolivia closed its borders.

It sounds lovely, but there are packs of wolves nearby. At least the footballl's back...

The Olympic Stadium should have been hosting the German Cup final this weekend. The now familiar swimming pool-style sound instead rings out, coaching staff shouting instructions to their players. Hertha start with a strong spell of possession.

It adds a slice of even more surreal to this occasion. You can hear individuals clapping as we come out of the silence to kcik-off.

Away we go!

We're having a minute's silence. Followed by 90 further.

Here they come, the Hertha lads coming down an escalator to the pitch while Union take the stairs. Significant?

Absolutely not.

Image source, PA Media

Union coach Urs Fischer missed the 2-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich last weekend after breaking the team quarantine following a family bereavement, but he'll be back in the dugout tonight.

Chaos.

That's him on the right. On the left is Hertha gaffer Bruno Labbadia.

Union midfielder Julian Ryerson - on the bench tonight - was named after the Groundhog Day character Ned.

I mean, that's probably not true but it should be.

Kick-off is coming up.

Subotic has been left out though. Unoin have made four changes in all including starting a man named Ken. Give them the points already.

Just one change for Hertha as Vladimir Darida comes in.

Define familiar...

There's no world stars out there but Manchester City and Celtic fans will remember Dedryck Boyata, who now turns out for Hertha.

Image source, PA Media

Hertha midfielder Marko Grujic is still technically owned by Liverpool, but he's been out on loan more often than a 1980s videotape of ET, while striker Krzysztof Piatek was a big-money signing from Milan in January.

Image source, PA Media

Union are less well stocked with known faces - but Neven Subotic was a key part of the Dortmund defence under Jurgen Klopp.

How are you finding this return to sort-of-live football?

Better than nothing? Plain weird? Irresponsible? A welcome relief?

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Sound off to us on text or twitter. Just put your names on your texts please. It's all we ask.

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This was the atmosphere the last time these sides met in November.

You couldn't get a bigger contrast could you?

Union won 1-0 with a late penalty...

Live actual football, on a Friday night.

The format may not have worked for Sky in recent years but the Bundesliga are going with it and I, for one, am thankful.

It's been a long two months without the beautiful game but no, you didn't dream it last week. The Bundesliga is back.

So grab a stein, grill some wurst and settle in for a Berlin derby....