Coronavirus: Bayern get job done with 'no noise'

BERLIN • Thomas Muller joked that the Bundesliga without fans feels like "old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights" after Bayern Munich brushed aside Union Berlin 2-0 behind closed doors on Sunday.

A first-half Robert Lewandowski penalty and a late Benjamin Pavard header sealed Bayern's win in front of empty terraces in Berlin. The result leaves defending champions Bayern four points clear as the German league restarted this weekend after a two-month hiatus due to the Covid-19 virus.

However, Muller admitted it was strange to play Union behind closed doors at their compact Alten Foersterei stadium, which is usually packed with 22,000 passionate home fans.

"It felt a bit like the atmosphere you get for old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights, but as soon as the ball started to roll, the game took our focus," he said.

The Bundesliga became the first top European league to resume this weekend, using draconian hygiene guidelines, regular testing of players and insisting on games in near-empty stadiums. Hugging, embracing and handshakes were also banned.

"I have to say, each minute is very long when there are no fans and no noise," said Bayern captain Manuel Neuer. "It was a different atmosphere... but, okay, it's about motivation and attitude."

Lewandowski injected a sense of normality by scoring his 40th goal in all competitions this season. The Polish striker has at least 40 goals in five straight campaigns.

Lewandowski, who was set to miss the original fixture with injury before the league was interrupted in mid-March, celebrated his league-leading 26th goal by elbow-and fist bumping his teammates.

That came after Mr Markus Soder, Minister President for Bavaria, called for the Bundesliga to "tighten up" instructions on how to celebrate goals after some players hugged - breaching strict hygiene protocol - on Saturday.

"Football has an extreme function to be a role model, so we should stick to our instructions and pay attention to it next week," he told broadcaster Sport1 earlier on Sunday.

Hertha Berlin's Marko Grujic looked to have been kissed on the cheek by teammate Dedryck Boyata on Saturday after their side took the lead in a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim. Later that day, some Borussia Monchengladbach players hugged after their team scored two early goals in the 3-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt.

But Boyata denied planting a kiss on Grujic.

"I apologise for putting my hands on (Grujic's) face," the defender wrote on Instagram on Sunday, explaining that "it wasn't a kiss" or "a celebration" when he grabbed the Serbia midfielder.

"I was giving him instructions about a set piece. We must definitely be careful now that we play under this situation."

The German Football League (DFL) has said it would not sanction any players for not sticking to the guidelines at the weekend, but that could change.

But former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes some of the rules implemented in order for football to resume will not last.

The Frenchman said that staging football matches without spectators must only be a short-term fix during the coronavirus pandemic, as the prolonged absence of fans could damage the game.

Fifa's head of global development told beIN Sport: "You cannot imagine a whole season without any spectators. That's why I believe it is a short-term solution. It is still the best possible way to get a verdict for the end of the season. It's better than any other decision."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS