The Bundesliga could be given the green light for a return on Wednesday with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel set to announce a start date.
Play could come as early as May 15, according to Reuters, making it the first of the five major European domestic leagues to resume since the global coronavirus pandemic began.
Football in Germany has been suspended since mid-March, with the virus having infected over 150,000 people in the country. Almost 6,300 people have died of the disease in the country.
Two of Germany’s neighbours, the Netherlands and France, have ended their seasons.
The majority of Bundesliga clubs have nine matches left to play in this campaign – Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen have 10 – with leaders Bayern Munich four points ahead of Borussia Dortmund in second.
The announcement will come after the Committee of Sports, which consists of members of the country’s parliament, has held a meeting on Wednesday and put its proposal forward to the government.
No Bundesliga representatives are expected to be present at the Committee of Sports meeting, but they might be consulted over the phone.
Bundesliga plans have already been discussed in small groups prior to the meeting by different federal state representatives. A lot of the plans on how the league will be concluded, and if all the stadiums can be used, depend on lockdown restrictions being equally lifted in all the states.
The league’s potential return had been under scrutiny after Cologne reported three people at the club had tested positive for coronavirus last week and Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou was suspended after ignoring social distancing measures at the club’s training ground.
Former Chelsea player Kalou, 34, was seen shaking hands with his Hertha team-mates and interrupting a medical check-up of another.
On Monday, the German Football League (DFL) announced a total of 1,724 tests have been conducted on players and staff at the 36 first and second-tier sides in Germany since last Thursday, with 10 individuals returning positive coronavirus tests.
Following another round of testing, second division side Erzgebirge Aue has put its entire squad in self isolation after a member of staff tested positive for coronavirus.
Aue have not named the staff member involved but all players, coaches and backroom staff will stay at home ahead of more coronavirus testing on Thursday.
source: Sky Sports
