Coronavirus: 10 positive tests across Bundesliga 1 and 2
Written by News on 04/05/2020
Ten individuals from Germany’s top two divisions have returned positive coronavirus tests.
The German Football League (DFL) said 1,724 tests had been conducted on players and staff at the 36 first and second tier sides since last Thursday, who are building towards a return to action this month subject to government approval.
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The DFL said the 10 individuals had been isolated and that a second round of testing on all participants would take place this week as clubs build towards a return to team training.
A decision on whether the DFL’s plans meet with government approval is expected on Wednesday, with the Bundesliga now not likely to resume until May 16 at the earliest.
The DFL did not identify those who had tested positive or their clubs and said the cases had been reported to health authorities.
After returning to training last week, Cologne announced three of their employees had tested positive for coronavirus.
Those affected were quarantined but the club said training will continue ahead of the German league’s return. Cologne have since said there have been no new cases at the club following a fresh round of testing on Sunday.
The DFL has submitted a health safety plan for games without spectators which includes regular testing of players but no quarantine for entire squads in cases of positive tests.
However, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Sunday that he was in favour of full team quarantine in cases of positive tests.
Teams were allowed to resume training last month, with players divided into small groups, and the next stage would be for full team practice sessions to begin.
Serie A, La Liga clubs return to training this week
In Spain, La Liga clubs are returning to training this week following the Spanish Ministry of Health’s approval for the return of sports training sessions.
In Italy, Juventus underwent tests in Turin on Monday, including Aaron Ramsey, while players who are returning from abroad, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Matthijs de Ligt and Gonzalo Higuain, will be tested in the coming days.
Roma also reopened their training ground on Monday. Edin Dzeko was among the first players to undergo medicals and preparatory tests. All other players will be tested on Tuesday and Wednesday before first individual training sessions on Thursday.
In France, Amiens have launched a petition calling on the country’s Professional Football League [LFP] to review its decision to relegate the club following the early finish of the Ligue 1 season.
The French season has been forced to conclude by a government order, with Paris St Germain declared champions.
When are PL clubs returning to training?
A number of Premier League clubs reopened their training grounds for individual training last week.
Arsenal were the first to welcome back members of their first-team squad, on April 27, with players training individually in accordance with government health guidelines.
First-team players at Wolves will return to the training ground next week for individual sessions and fitness training. Strict social distancing measures will be in place and the players will be required to wash their own kit.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) say there will hold a wide-scale consultation with players to understand their feelings about a return to playing as plans continue to restart football.
The Premier League met on Friday to consider proposals for “project restart” with a number of different measures being considered.
‘Players could refuse to play’
Former Watford striker Marvin Sordell, who was last week appointed to the FA’s Inclusion and Advisory board, says players in England should be given the right to refuse to play amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: “You have to respect people’s opinions in this. Many will say they earn a lot of money so they should just go and play.
“This virus at times is a matter of life and death and any game of football – regardless of the famous saying – football isn’t more than life or death.
“I think people’s own situations need to be respected. If they want to play, and it’s safe to do so, then allow them to play. If they don’t want to play because they don’t think it’s safe to do so, I think that needs to be respected.”
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Coronavirus: 10 positive tests across Bundesliga 1 and 2
