It's TV at home as German football returns with 'ghost games'

Nicole Bartelt has been a loyal fan at all but two of Borussia Dortmund's home matches since 2008, but when Bundesliga restarted on Saturday after a two-month hiatus because of coronavirus, she was forced to keep away from stands. Neverless, Bartelt, 44, was t complaining that derby with Schalke was played behind closed doors. "It's better to have 'ghost games' to slow epidemic than to have a health catastrophe," she told AFP."Even if we detest Schalke, a season without such a derby doesn't have same flavour," added Bartelt, wearing a black Dortmund jersey.

Bartelt watched game from her friends' place. Likewise, Marco Perz, 45, who has been a regular at Dortmund matches since 1987,  was in front of television at his friends'. "It's sad that matches are played in empty stadiums, but it's better than thing -- more we keep to health rules, sooner we can return to rmality," said Perz, with a beer in hand.

It would be "absurd and dangerous" to t allow season to run its course, said Perz, who was wearing a jacket emblazoned with a dozen Dortmund logos.

"t necessarily for players, who may have to buy one less Lamborghini, but for ecomy that depends on it -- technicians, gardeners, fan shops. 

On a match day, some shops, including fast-food stands, rake in revenues equivalent to that of a rmal week." 

't very comfortable

Unlike typical match days when city centre would be buzzing with fans, atmosphere downtown this time was muted. Pubs and restaurants have reopened, but y are far from full for match. "We can take in only 50 people, compared to 500 usually," said Joerg Kemper, who mans Wenkers pub, popular with Dortmund fans. "People are also t very comfortable about garing in current context," he told AFP.

In pub, decked out with a dozen black and yellow BVB jerseys, flooring is w marked with tape deting required physical distance. "Usually such a derby would draw euphoria but this time, we're happy even with very little," he said, adding that on a regular match day, revenues are comparable to that of a week's takings. Ahead of match, police sent out repeated appeals on Twitter, urging fans to stay home to enjoy game.

Police were in out in force, with several vans parked at city centre and outside main train station, with twin task of stopping fans from assembling in large groups as well as to maintain order as anti-lockdown demonstrations were expected at same time. While stay-at-home measures have largely been lifted, social distancing rules keeping more than two families from mingling are in place. People are also required to stand 1.5 metres (five feet) apart, to avoid contagion of virus.

Likewise outside stadium, atmosphere was markedly calm. Only occasional cyclists and people out for a stroll were to be seen while shutters remained down over ticket-counters. only signs that something may be stirring were vest-clad stadium staff wearing face masks standing at main entrances and police patrolling. For some, change was just too much to swallow. Nicolai,a regular contributor on fan forum "Black-yellow" said he was boycotting derby if he can't watch it at stadium. "Football won't be at centre of attention," he wrote.

Im credits: AP