Bundesliga: What Stakeholders Are Saying Ahead Of Weekend's Matches

 

Major stakeholders in the Bundesliga are in bullish mood ahead of the return of the Geman top flight this weekend.

AllNews reports that champions and current league leaders Bayern Munich travel to Union Berlin for a 5pm start on Sunday, while the keenly-contested Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 kicks off at 2.30pm on Saturday.

Germany is set to become a testing ground for the rest of the world as football action initially hampered by COVID-19 resumes.

"All the eyes of the world will be on the Bundesliga at this moment in time," Schalke head of sport Jochen Schneider told Sky Sports News.

"We got calls and emails from big clubs in Spain and England and I know they are really hoping that we will manage the situation so that other leagues can restart as well.

"We know how important it is that we start now and that will be able to finish the season as well."

All matches will be contested without supporters and although necessary, Schneider admits it is a difficult situation to come to terms with.

"It really, really hurts because the fans create this special atmosphere and these games like Liverpool-Everton, Celtic-Rangers, these are the biggest games you have in a season," he said.

"Dortmund-Schalke is the biggest game here in Germany and without fans, it's a nightmare, but we know for now it's the best case."

Hamann: Players trust Bundesliga

"All the clubs have given the players the option whether they want to come back or whether they do come back," Dietmar Hamann, a German professional football coach, and former player said.

"They get tested two or three times, most tests have been negative. I think when they first started testing they tested over 1,700 people and 10 people who tested positive went into quarantine and the rest carried on training.

"The players seem to trust the people in charge and this is why I haven't heard of a case where a player has said he doesn't want to play because he feels it's unsafe."

Flick wants Bayern Munich to impress watching world on Bundesliga return

Speaking at a remote news conference ahead of facing 11th-placed Union, Hans-Dieter Flick, Bayern Munich manager backed his side to deal with the weight of expectation and impress.

"Not much will change except for the face masks in the dugout," he told reporters.

"We discussed with the players what they can and will expect. More than 200 countries will watch the players, so we have a huge audience to whom you can show yourself. We want to deliver a top performance."

Bundesliga will be shouldering plenty of pressure in the coming weeks - Dortmund CEO Watzke

"I also feel a huge responsibility," Hans-Joachim Watzke, CEO of Borussia Dortmund said.

"This feeling is bigger than ever, and that gives me a certain amount of tension.

"On the one hand, the sporting aspect is that we also achieve our goals.

"On the other hand, the question of whether we can meet the entire framework with all requirements and the security concept as we all imagine it and how it is necessary. This pressure is really huge."