Schalke04

Bayern and Schalke practise ahead of possible Bundesliga restart

22-Apr-2020 13:11:04 | Yahoo Sports

SHOWS: MUNICH, GERMANY (APRIL 22, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF BAYERN MUNICH PLAYERS ON PITCH FOR TRAINING AHEAD OF POSSIBLE RESTART OF BUNDESLIGA 2. VARIOUS OF BAYERN MUNICH TRAINING 3. MEDIA 4. VARIOUS OF BAYERN MUNICH TRAINING GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY (APRIL 22, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. SCHALKE 04 PLAYERS COMING ONTO PITCH FOR TRAINING 6. VARIOUS OF SCHALKE PLAYERS TRAINING WITH GAPS BETWEEN PLAYERS STORY: German soccer clubs including Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 were out training again on Wednesday (April 22) buoyed by a potential mid-May season restart. German football clubs are hoping a return to action is on the horizon, even if it means playing in closed stadiums, after the country's health minister and regional leaders said matches could potentially resume from May 9. The Bundesliga has been suspended since mid-March due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus, which has infected more than 143,000 and killed over 4,500 in Germany. Regional leaders in Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia said on Monday that any league resumption would be without fans and that there would be no action before May 9. Their statements were welcomed by both clubs and the German Football League (DFL) which will meet on Thursday (April 23) to decide how long to extend the ban past the current April 30 date. For Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge it will be equally important to stick to the medical guidelines to minimise any health risk that could potentially lead to another suspension as well. German Health Minister Jens Spahn told Bild newspaper on Sunday that a resumption on May 9 would depend on the infection risk. Bayern are top of the Bundesliga, four points clear of Dortmund, with nine games left in the campaign. The League has warned that many clubs in the first and second divisions faced an uncertain financial future and several would be in an "existence-threatening" situation if play did not resume by June. (Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Erol Dogrudogan, Tanya Wood)