Bayern Munich soccer players Monday played their first training session since matches stopped due to the new Corona virus, during which they adhered to the conditions of social separation and the absence of physical contact, in a move described by captain goalkeeper Manuel Neuer as "an uncommon feeling".
The club’s website and German media released details of the training session that the German football champions have conducted in the past seven seasons today, at its training headquarters, “Sabiner Strasse”.
And the players kept 1.5 meters separating them in their first group exercise since the Bundesliga competition stopped on March 13 due to the outbreak of the "Covid-19" epidemic. In the past period, the club was content with virtual exercises via video technology.
"It was an uncommon feeling to go into training in small groups, but seeing the guys again is nice," Noir said after the training session, which was held without the attendance of the fans.
Press reports indicated that the 21 players arrived at the training headquarters at different times, and did not exchange handshaking, hugs, or any direct physical contact, before they were distributed by the technical staff to five groups, each of which contained five players at most.
Players in the locker room kept a separation distance of four meters. On the green rectangle, they also kept a safe distance, and avoided any direct physical contact or attempting to extract the ball from each other, as if they were playing a "corona ball" and not football.
After the end of the session, the players were asked to take a shower in their homes, which they returned with meals provided for them and provided by the club.
Bayern had announced on Sunday that it would return to the exercises but "in small groups", and that the step "comes in coordination with government policy and the relevant authorities. It goes without saying that all health measures will be strictly applied."
Bayern recalled that the League had "already recommended that exercises be suspended until the fifth Sunday of April," stressing at the same time that the restart of the exercises "will take place without the presence of any audience."
Press reports indicated that the majority of the first-class teams will resume the exercises as Bayern did, with the exception of Freiburg, who has so far asked his players to continue individual home exercises, and Werder Bremen, given that the local authorities are still preventing rallies as part of the measures to combat the "Covid-19" epidemic. Which has caused more than 70,000 declared deaths worldwide.
Germany is one of the European countries least affected by Corona, and recorded until Monday about 1500 deaths, out of more than 50 thousand deaths on the continent.
Bayern were ahead of the Bundesliga, four points behind Borussia Dortmund, before the suspension of matches after the 25th stage.