The Bundesliga Returns: Match Schedule, Details for Germany's Top Flight
It's really happening. The Bundesliga has been given the green light to return after a coronavirus-induced shutdown, with German government approving the plan to bring soccer back across the top two divisions in the country.
All is subject to change if, for whatever reason, cases spike or teams find themselves impacted by the virus again–and with over 10 confirmed positive tests recently in the top two divisions, it's not out of the question–but the precautions being taken, the procedures put in place and the comprehensive testing program have been convincing enough to bring back the sport behind closed doors in Germany.
“Everyone has to be clear," Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert said. "We’re playing on probation. I expect everyone to live up to this responsibility. Our concept is designed to catch infections early.
“That we’re allowed to play again boils down to German politics for managing this crisis, and the health system in Germany,” Seifert added. “If I were to name the number of tests that I was asked about in teleconferences with other professional leagues, with American professional leagues, with clubs from the NFL, the NHL, Major League Baseball and others, and I tell them how many tests are possible in Germany, they generally check, or there’s silence, because it’s just unimaginable in the situation over there.”
The German leagues association (DFL) announced a May 16 return for the Bundesliga, which has nine matchdays remaining. Games will be played behind closed doors–though clubs like Borussia Monchengladbach are getting creative in finding ways to fill the seats nonetheless. It's possible that teams will have five substitutes instead of the customary three, to account for schedule congestion (the league plans to finish June 28) and players who may not be at full fitness given the recent restrictions. FIFA has made the proposal, but the International Football Association Board must approve it.
Starting a week from Saturday, one of the world's preeminent leagues will be back in action (though it won't be the first: Belarus, Turkmenistan and Nicaragua never shut their top flights down, while South Korea's K-League resumes on Friday). Here's what it will look like:
RE-OPENING WEEKEND
Here's the match schedule for the resumption of the season–which includes a Revierderby between rivals Dortmund and Schalke–with all times Eastern:
SATURDAY, MAY 16
9:30 a.m. - Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke
9:30 a.m. - Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. Paderborn
9:30 a.m. - RB Leipzig vs. Freiburg
9:30 a.m. - Hoffenheim vs. Hertha Berlin
9:30 a.m. - Augsburg vs. Wolfsburg
12:30 p.m. - Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
SUNDAY, MAY 17
9:30 a.m. - Koln vs. Mainz
12 p.m. - Union Berlin vs. Bayern Munich
MONDAY, MAY 18
2:30 p.m. - Werder Bremen vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Adam Davy/PA Wire/AP
AT THE TOP
Bayern Munich sits in a familiar place, but it's been a battle this season as the club vies for an eighth straight title.
Dortmund–buoyed by dynamic young talents Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho–sits four points back in second place (51 points), with RB Leipzig (50) and Borussia Monchengladbach (49) hot on the trail. Bayer Leverkusen is also in the mix for a top-four finish, with 47 points, comfortably 10 points clear of sixth-place Schalke.
Bayern Munich has been using the break to take care of a lot of business. Since the league was suspended on March 13, Bayern has re-signed forward Thomas Muller through 2023, taken the interim tag off manager Hansi Flick and signed him through 2023 and extended the contract of rising Canadian teenage star Alphonso Davies through 2025. On Thursday, it confirmed the signing of German legend Mirsolav Klose as an assistant coach, with his one-year term slated to begin after the conclusion of the delayed season, on July 1. Assistant coach Danny Rohl extended his stay on Flick's staff, signing through 2023.
Before the break, Bayern had rounded into form, losing just one of its last 16 games in all competitions (14-1-1).
AT THE BOTTOM
Werder Bremen (18 points) and Paderborn (16) occupy the automatic relegation places, while Fortuna Dusseldorf (22) sits in the relegation playoff spot. The Saturday match between 16th-place Dusseldorf and 18th-place Paderborn could wind up factoring heavily into which teams go down to the 2. Bundesliga for next season.
THE U.S. ANGLE
A number of Americans abroad–and some of the key figures of the national team's present and future–are based in the Bundesliga. Midfielders Weston McKennie (Schalke) and Gio Reyna (Dortmund) could share the field in their first match back. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen (Fortuna Dusseldorf) is highly doubtful to be ready to play after suffering another knee injury during his club's limited training sessions.
Forward Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen) had scored in his club's last match before the season was halted, while versatile midfielder Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig) was just starting to get his legs under him after a frustrating injury bout for the first half of the campaign.
Center back John Brooks (Wolfsburg) has been a fixture for his club since returning from a groin strain in the fall. Another U.S. international on the club is 19-year-old Ulysses Llanez, who was promoted to Wolfsburg's first team as the league came to a halt.
One more rising talent in the U.S. player pool, 20-year-old Bayern Munich center back Chris Richards, has trained with the first team but has yet to see playing time.
Three U.S. veterans whose recent national team standing is not so strong are Fabian Johnson (Monchengladbach), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Alfredo Morales (Fortuna Dusseldorf), and they've been a mixed big this season in terms of productivity and consistency.
