What Can the Premier League Learn from the Bundesliga?

The 2019/20 German Bundesliga resumed on the 16th of May following suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak. The immediate reaction is good and the resumption has been a success. This is in most part due to the changes the Bundesliga have been forced to make to ensure the playing environment is safe for everyone concerned. With that in mind, what can the Premier League learn from the Bundesliga?

Firstly, each of the 20 Premier League teams need to come together and agree on the way forward. The Bundesliga would not have been able to resume in the way it has without all of the 18 clubs agreeing to play in specific circumstances. The criteria which must be met for clubs to play in the Bundesliga could easily be transferred to the Premier League but every team must agree. That is the first steppingstone to resuming the English topflight.

Beginning with the location of the games, the Bundesliga have shown it is possible to stage matches at the home venue of every team. For this to happen, all of the games must be played behind closed doors without any fans in attendance. This requires not only security around the stadium but also cooperation from the supporters who must stay away from the venue. Some fans in Germany decided to watch the game outside at a local café as they have started to reopen under social distancing rules. Players have also been asked to respect social distancing where possible, including the celebrating of goals.

This may not be the case in England and fans will be asked to watch the games live on television at home. This comes with the added bonus of being able to access the internet at home during games and get involved in the debate surrounding the match. There could even be time for a quick game at the interval between matches at a casino, such as those found at www.mymobicasino.com. There are some great mobile casino websites and these are the perfect time filler between live televised games.

Another factor to consider for the Premier League is the safety of all those who are attending the match. In the Bundesliga, 300 people are allowed inside the stadium but they must obey the social distancing rules. In Germany, they were split into three different areas with 100 close to the pitch side, 100 in the concourse and 100 around the perimeter of the stadium. Every person in attendance had to wear a mask and have their temperature taken on arrival.

Substitutes were set 2 metres apart and asked to wear masks at all times plus there were no handshakes or team photos before the game. Players were not allowed to celebrate in groups as usual, so things like high-fives are banned.

Then we come to things like manager and player interviews. These were conducted in the Bundesliga with the interviewer and interviewee 2 metres apart in addition to the microphone being covered in plastic.

None of the above is ideal, that much is obvious. However, the Bundesliga have shown the way in terms of how to stage a professional football match in the current climate. There is a great deal to learn for the Premier League in terms of how the German Football Association have gone about their business.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes