German football returns under intense scrutiny

Football in Germany returns to the pitch on Saturday as the Bundesliga becomes the first of Europe's top leagues to swing back into action since the coronavirus lockdown.

The German Football League (DFL) convinced Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country's regional leaders to allow play to resume by agreeing to submit to an extraordinary set of guidelines to prevent infection.

The stadiums will be empty and silent except for the players' shouts and the referees' whistles -- Germany has suffered far fewer deaths from coronavirus than other large European countries, but it is still too dangerous for crowds to return.

Borussia Dortmund will take on local rivals Schalke 04 in the Ruhr Derby on Saturday.

That fixture would normally have attracted an 82,000 crowd to Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park but supporters will be locked out.

On Sunday, Bayern Munich, who were four points clear at the top of the table when the season was suspended in March, will resume their quest for an eighth successive Bundesliga title when they play in the capital against Union Berlin.

- No hugging -
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"I did not live up to my function as a role model for my team and the public."
- Football world's focus -
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"With so few days of preparation, it's impossible to say where we stand."