Bundesliga became the first major soccer competition to resume its activities for the 2019/20 season after a suspension due to coronavirus pandemic. The first games were played over the weekend, with eight games taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
Things were a bit different than before, of course, as Bundesliga had strict protocols in place in order to minimize the health risk. The matches were held without the audience, players were instructed not to celebrate goals with their teammates, while also having to social distance and wear masks when off the field.
The continuation of the season saw derby game between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, with Borussia getting a 4-0 win thanks to Erling Haaland, Thorgan Hazard, and Raphael Guerreiro, who scored twice. Among other results, Borussia Monchengladbach defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 1-3, Hertha trashed Hoffenheim 3-0 while Bayern kept the No.1 spot on the table with 0 – 2 victory over Union Berlin.
Bundesliga originally suspended all activities in early March before allowing the clubs to return to training in mid-April. The clubs were first instructed to organize workouts in smaller groups before transitioning to full training in early May.
The return of Bundesliga is carefully observed by the majority of other European leagues, like Premier League, Seria A, and La Liga, as they plan to resume its activities in June. On the other hand, several other competitions, like French Ligue 1 and Dutch Eredivisie, decided to cancel this season all-together.
