That brings the football week

Created: 01/10/2022 05:01 AM

FC Bayern will still not be able to train fully due to several corona infections.

© Peter Kneffel / dpa

In addition to the current games, the corona pandemic and its effects are the topic of football.

In Germany, games are played on the weekend, while abroad there are cup competitions during the week.

Berlin - At the start of the 19th Bundesliga matchday, Borussia Dortmund can increase the pressure on front runners Bayern Munich a little - on Friday BVB opened the round with the chase duel against SC Freiburg.

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Before that there will be the classic between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Spanish Supercup semi-finals on Wednesday.

Corona remains the big issue everywhere.

Corona situation

The weekend in the second half of the season clearly showed what effects the pandemic and the Omikron variant have on the Bundesliga.

At FC Bayern players have already returned after their infections - but the league leaders will still not be able to train fully before the game in Cologne on Sunday.

It is almost certain that more cases will arise in the clubs.

After all: it should help the clubs that the federal and state governments have shortened the quarantine and isolation times.

Football in Germany has of necessity got used to the almost empty stands in the stadiums.

League Cup England

In the semi-final second leg of the English League Cup, Chelsea want to make everything clear for their place in the final against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

The prerequisites for this are good after the 2-0 win in the first leg a week ago.

Liverpool FC with coach Jürgen Klopp should have played the second leg at home against Arsenal.

Because the originally planned first leg in London had to be postponed due to the Corona outbreak at the Reds, the game on Thursday in Anfield is now the first leg.

Klopp and other coaches would probably prefer the competition to be canceled entirely.

The League Cup is considered insignificant in England, and because of the already tight schedule on the island, many find it a nuisance.

Second division start

After almost four weeks of winter break, the 2nd league starts its exciting second championship series.

Seven clubs are behind the two clubs, FC St. Pauli and SV Darmstadt 98, which are in first place and two.

Above all, Hamburger SV and Schalke 04 tied on points. HSV will be playing at Dynamo Dresden on Friday, Schalke will receive Holstein Kiel on Sunday and have high hopes for the comeback of striker Simon Terodde after his forced Corona break.

"I'm in good spirits that he will be available for us again next weekend," said coach Dimitrios Grammozis.

Africa Cup

The corona situation also plays an important role at the African continental tournament in Cameroon.

There had been cases with several teams beforehand.

The regulations stipulate that a game will kick off even if a team only has eleven players available.

After the hosts' 2-1 win against Burkina Faso on Sunday, the other top teams such as defending champion Algeria also intervene.

Bundesliga top game

Second against fourth, eternal Bayern hunter against surprise team of the season: The 19th Bundesliga matchday will open on Friday with the delightful duel between Dortmund and Freiburg.

For BVB, unpleasant memories are awakened, and on the second match day there was a rude awakening for new coach Marco Rose and striker Haaland at 1: 2 in Breisgau.

Like back then after the 5: 2 on the first match day, Dortmund goes into the duel with the 3: 2 comeback in Frankfurt behind them.

The prank team, on the other hand, has to digest the 2-2 win against Bielefeld after a 2-0 lead.

Supercup Spain

This time the Clásico takes place in the desert.

The four-man finals for the Spanish Supercup will open on Wednesday in the Saudi Arabian Riad Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

Record champions and league leaders Real are favorites in the semi-finals against the ailing Catalans with German national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.

The second semi-final will be played by champions Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, and the final will take place on Sunday.

dpa