IT’S BACK!

Germans prove football can return, but Premier League hit by more delay

THE Premier League received a huge boost last night after the Bundesliga successfully relaunched — but English football’s own Project Restart may be more than a month away, with managers and fitness trainers saying they need more time to get players fully fit.

Almost two months to the day that the Premier League came to an unprecedented halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, top-class football in Europe was back, with Borussia Dortmund thrashing local rivals Schalke 4-0 in the outstanding clash of the day.

Premier League clubs should start socially distant group training from Tuesday, assuming the clubs agree initial medical protocols at a shareholders’ meetings tomorrow, but the start date for the first game looks like slipping from June 12. Club coaches want at least three or preferably four weeks of contact training, which is due to commence on June 1, before games resume.

But in what will be seen as a confirmation that the Premier League could restart their season, the Bundesliga successfully navigated a full round of Saturday fixtures.

Norwegian teenage star Erling Haaland (the son of former Leeds player AlfeInge), who turned down a move to Manchester United in January, opened the scoring for Dortmund.

The victory takes them to within a point of leaders Bayern Munich, who today take on hosts Union Berlin, currently in 12th place.

There was some controversy when former Celtic star Dederyk Boyata appeared to kiss team-mate Marko Grujic to celebrate a goal, in Hertha Berlin’s 3-0 victory away to mid-table Hoffenheim.

Boyata is not expected to receive retrospective action for the close contact.