Bayern Munich of Germany defender, David Olatokunbo Alaba is back in partial team training with his colleagues, despite an unexpected declaration that the German Bundesliga will no longer get back into full swing next weekend, as had been planned by the league body, megasportsarena.com reports.
Bundesliga chiefs had hoped to have matches back as soon as May 9, with talks scheduled this weekend to rubber stamp the return, but the government pushed back the decision until next Wednesday, meaning the season will not resume until May 16 at the earliest.
Nonetheless, Alaba and his colleagues were back into team training on Thursday, despite earlier same day learning that they will not be returning to action as soon as hoped, and all the players kept up their fitness levels up in small groups, while making sure to maintain social distancing.
There is now a belief that Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to make the rules harsher again after initially allowing shops, schools and churches to open again, as coronavirus cases spiked in Germany, leading to suggestions of tightening the current lockdown restrictions in the country.
Alaba was joined in the day’s session by Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller, as the German top-flight league’s reigning champions prepare to continue their push for another title, even as the club’s officials were busy putting finishing touches on a new contract for their coach.
While the players trained in trickles, their coach, Hansi Flick signed a new contract, having agreed the deal back at the start of April, but the pandemic had all this while delayed him from putting pen to paper, for the deal that will keep him at the club until 2023.
Bayern posted two pictures of Flick, who took over from Niko Kovac as interim boss in November, and the team’s impressive form since then has led to him being offered a long-term deal, at their Sabener Strase board offices on Tuesday with the likes of Oliver Kahn and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge posing alongside him with protective facemasks on.
However, a report by British tabloid, Daily Mail adds: “Once football resumes, clubs in the top two divisions will also be required to provide two swab tests for each of their players before they return to the pitch – and it is likely to include coaching staff too. That will run to a total of around 20,000 tests.
“Other leagues have already called for an end to the season. The French Prime Minister announced at the start of the week that the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons were over and the shock announcement has given respective governments food for thought as to how they proceed.
“UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin set leagues the deadline of May 25 to submit proposals as to how they plan to finish their 2019-20 campaigns, with August 2 the cut-off to get the seasons concluded. “
