Thursday 14 May 2020 17:21, UK
The Bundesliga is under "considerable pressure" as it prepares to become the first major European league to return to action amid the coronavirus pandemic, says German football expert Raphael Honigstein.
Football in Germany has been suspended since March due to the crisis, but with lockdown measures eased, the authorities have given the green light for the campaign to continue on Saturday.
League organisers need the remaining games to be played to ensure they satisfy rights holders, says Honigstein, who adds if the return to action is a failure others leagues may opt to abandon their seasons.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Honigstein said: "There is considerable pressure.
"First of all, the pressure comes internally because they needed to get back to those games. There was a real financial need to make sure that games could be staged otherwise the TV rights payers were reluctant to pay out.
"They now need to justify this with a medical concept. The whole of football is trying to see if Germany can act as a trailblazer in all of this.
"There's the added pressure of perhaps being able to show a light but if failure were to happen I think the other leagues would be hugely discouraged. It would be really difficult for anybody to come back in Europe in Germany can't pull it off."
The Bundesliga is implementing new measures to ensure the safety of players and to minimise the risk of anyone involved returning a positive test during the return to action.
"The system of the league revolves around two principles," Honigstein continued.
"One, minimising the number of people in the ground and that is why Germany head coach Joachim Lowe is not essentially considered personnel, unlike a couple of ball boys he can't get in.
"Only 10 journalists can get in. Virtual press conferences will replace the real ones. You can WhatsApp a question to the coach and then hear the answer on the television, so not really the usual.
"Also there will be no mixed zones, so no real opportunities to mingle with the players after the game. There's also a very extensive testing regime, making sure players have a lot of tests.
"But also when they are together minimise the risks by making sure they take their own car to home games and not having them celebrate, no hugging or kissing after goals. Also not using showers."
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