Taking the first step towards normalcy in sports, Bundesliga is the first of Europe's elite football leagues to resume official competition for its 2019-20 season since the world was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
All the matches are to be played behind closed doors and no more than 300 people, including players and staff, will be allowed in the stadium.
The Bundesliga is the first of the European football leagues to restart after the covid lockdown. The league has another 9 game weeks to go.
A slow start to the season by current leaders and traditional powerhouse Bayern Munich saw them in an unfamiliar 4th position before Hans-Dieter Flick was handed over the reins of the team. With a fresh dose of energy and a new approach, Bayern Munich turned things around quickly registering no losses in their last 10 games which saw them move to the top of the table.
In hot pursuit of the leaders, sitting just 4 points back are Borussia Dortmund who are scheduled to play against rivals FC Schalke on Saturday in the ‘Revierderby'. RB Leipzig who are just 4 points adrift off Bayern and 1 off Dortmund round off the top 3 in one of the closest seasons in a really long time.
The top 5 teams are separated by only 9 points and the title race could see some interesting ebbs and flows to keep the interest alive in the coming weeks. In football crazy Germany, keeping in adherence with social distancing norms, Matchday 26 will see Bundesliga being played in empty stadiums without fans as the clubs return to competitive play after a forced 2-month hiatus.
In India, all the matches will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select 1/HD & Star Sports Select 2/HD starting May 16.
Bundesliga Schedule - Saturday, 16 May 2020
- Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke 04 - 7.00 PM
- FC Augsburg vs VfL Wolfsburg - 7.00 PM
- Fortuna Düsseldorf vs SC Paderborn 07 - 7.00 PM
- RB Leipzig vs SC Freiburg - 7.00 PM
- TSG Hoffenheim vs Hertha Berlin - 7.00 PM
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Monchengladbach - 10.00 PM
Bundesliga Schedule - Sunday, 17 May 2020
- FC Cologne vs Mainz - 7.00 PM
- FC Union Berlin vs Bayern Munich - 9.30 PM
- Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen - Midnight
(With inputs from IANS)
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