Ahead of Bundesliga restart, Dynamo Dresden's entire squad quarantined
Bundesliga 2 club Dynamo Dresden have put their entire squad and coaching staff into two-week isolation after two players tested positive for coronavirus. The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are due to restart on Saturday, May 16. This comes as a scare for the Germany's club football, as it is set to become the first European league to restart following the coronavirus shutdown.
Dresden announced on their website that tests taken on Friday had revealed two new positive cases and local health authorities had ordered the team into quarantine. Dresden were scheduled to play Hannover 96 next Sunday in Bundesliga 2. "The fact is that we can neither train nor participate in a game in the next 14 days," the club said, as per Reuters.
"After an intensive analysis of the situation, the health authority in Dresden decided on Saturday that the entire second division squad, including the coaching and support team, must now go into a 14-day quarantine at home," the club said. "Due to the quarantine measures, [we] will not be able to travel to Lower Saxony for the away game on matchday 26 as planned."
Dynamo's sporting director, Ralf Minge, said: "In the past few weeks, we have made enormous efforts in terms of personnel and logistics in order to strictly implement all the prescribed medical and hygienic measures." "We are in contact with the responsible health authority and the DFL [German Football League] to coordinate all further steps."
On Thursday, it was announced that the Bundesliga season will restart from May 16 onwards after the government gave the green light on a return to action. Most teams have nine games to play, with the final weekend of the 2019-20 season rescheduled for June 27-28. The DFB said the season would resume under strict health protocols.
According to the BBC, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said he is "confident that Germany will provide a shining example" to the world of football on how to return to action. "This is a huge and positive step to bringing optimism back to people's lives. It is the result of constructive dialogue and careful planning between the football authorities and politicians," he said.
Bundesliga, just like other European domestic leagues, has been on hold since mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak which has brought football to a standstill. Germany has recorded far less deaths as compared to the UK, Italy, Spain and France. If the Bundesliga gets off to a positive start, this would bolster the other leagues. Things will resume when it's safe to do so.
