Bayern Munich

During a debate on television channel LCI last Wednesday about plans to see if a tuberculosis vaccine would be effective against coronavirus by trialling it in Europe and Australia, two French doctors sparked controversy.

Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at the Cochin hospital in Paris, and Camille Locht, head of research at the Inserm health research group, suggested the method should first be tested in Africa.

Former Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and ex-Cameroon attacker Samuel Eto'o spoke out against the comments, with Alaba joining them on social media.

Alaba tweeted: "Trying a #Covid19 [vaccine] in Africa??? Are these two guys doctors or clowns?

"This is a kind of racism I could never imagine. Disgraceful and unacceptable! We all have to stand together and work hand in hand to fight this virus."

Africa is the continent that has been least affected by the coronavirus pandemic, but the total number of cases reported has now exceeded 9,000, with 444 people dead.

Will tournaments be completed when conditions are suitable? Will things finish as they are? Will the campaign be declared null and void?

With the help of Opta, we look back over the previous 10 seasons to see who would have been crowned champions if the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga had stopped where there are now.

Aguer-no!

It was an iconic moment in Premier League history. Sergio Aguero scored Manchester City's second stoppage-time goal as they came from behind to defeat QPR 3-2 and clinch their first top-flight title in 44 years, beating crestfallen arch-rivals Manchester United to the trophy on the final day of the season.

However, if the campaign had been stopped where it is now it would have been United who were celebrating due to a one-point advantage.

It is the only occasion since 2009-10 that the team on top after 29 matchdays has not won the Premier League.

Atleti's title wiped out

Atletico Madrid incredibly broke the Barcelona and Real Madrid duopoly in LaLiga in 2013-14, with Diego Godin salvaging a draw at Camp Nou on the final day to ensure they finished top of the pile.

However, it was local rivals Real Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, who sat three points clear after 27 games of the season, meaning Diego Simeone's crowning achievement would not have occurred.

The only other instance of a team being displaced in the final 11 matches came in 2009-10, when Madrid sat ahead of Barca on goal difference but ended up seeing Pep Guardiola's men go on to win LaLiga for a second straight season.

Juventus dominance broken up

Eight straight Serie A titles have seen Juventus create history in Italy, but they would have only managed five if the previous seasons stopped after 26 games – the total the majority of clubs have completed in 2019-20.

The Bianconeri went undefeated under Antonio Conte in 2011-12, although it was Milan who topped the table at this point in the campaign, meaning Massimiliano Allegri would have won successive Scudetti at San Siro.

Maurizio Sarri would also not have had to have waited until winning the Europa League with Chelsea last year for his first major title.

Sarri's Napoli only surrendered top spot to Juve on matchday 27 in 2017-18 and they failed to recover it, missing out on their best chance to finish top since the Diego Maradona era.

QSI off to the perfect start

The landscape of Ligue 1 changed dramatically when Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought Paris Saint-Germain in June 2011, although no silverware was added to the Parc des Princes trophy cabinet in the first season following the takeover.

However, they would have been crowned champions had the 2011-12 season finished after 28 games, denying a Montpellier side powered by the goals of Olivier Giroud an unlikely first Ligue 1 title.

There would have been bad news for PSG in 2014-15, though, as the trophy would have gone to Hubert Fournier's Lyon due to a one-point margin.

Bordeaux would have made it back-to-back titles in 2009-10, too, with Marseille having made the most of a collapse that saw Laurent Blanc's side slip from first to sixth over the final 10 matches.

Bundesliga business as usual

What changes with the Bundesliga title winners if you stop the previous 10 seasons after 25 games? Nothing.

Bayern Munich would have won eight championships to Borussia Dortmund's two.

Germany's top flight will be the first of the major European leagues to return behind closed doors since football ground to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this month, the German government gave the green light for action to resume and Pavard says that is all the reassurance he needs.

Speaking to L'Equipe, he said: "No, I'm not afraid. 

"At the beginning, when we resumed training, it's not fear but we wondered. But I assume that if the government authorises matches, this means that they believe that the conditions are met.

"If today you ask me if I'm happy to play again, I answer you yes. 

"I'm telling you that but maybe we will have to stop the season. There is no such thing as zero risk. Even if the fans will not be there, it may allow people to think about something else.

"There are fans waiting, there are patients or people who have been affected [for] who [it] can do good. 

"Football is a spectacle. A technical gesture, a goal, it can create an emotion, just for that, I tell myself that we can be useful. We will play for them."

Table-toppers Bayern are in action on Sunday at Union Berlin and Pavard recognises some habits will be hard to shake.

"Celebrating with the players, hugging, we cannot [do this]," he added. 

"I don't know how it's going to happen in a match, maybe spontaneously we'll all come together."

The Bundesliga was suspended on March 13 initially until April 2, but a meeting of clubs on March 31 extended the suspension to April 30 at the earliest.

A statement on Bayern's official website on Sunday urged supporters to stay away from the training ground as the players return to work.

"The FC Bayern Munich first team will return to training at Sabener Strasse in small groups from Monday, 6 April," said the statement.

"This will be done in coordination with government policy and the relevant authorities. It goes without saying that all hygiene regulations will be strictly observed."

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga table, four points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

The club's return to training is in line with the Deutsche Fussball Liga's (DFL) recommendation that teams take a break from training until April 5.

Bayern's statement continued: "Training will take place with no members of the public present.

"In order to further slow the spread of the coronavirus, FC Bayern asks fans to continue to follow the instructions of the authorities and therefore please do not come to the FC Bayern training ground."

As coronavirus continues to hit sport, a Berlin local authority has ordered the fixture to be played without spectators.

The Treptow-Kopenick district office issued a statement on Wednesday that declared: "Due to an order from our official doctor, the Union Berlin-Bayern Munich match will take place with the public excluded."

The match is scheduled for 18:30 local time (17:30 GMT), and Wednesday's decision came hours after Union Berlin said the local authorities had decided against a closed-doors order.

However, the situation has been fast-moving within sport as well as wider society, with the latest advice prompting the decision to prevent fans attending the game.

There was no immediate reaction from Bayern or Union to the announcement. The district office said in-depth talks took place with Union on Tuesday.

Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga, with Hansi Flick's team holding a four-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, while Union are 11th in the standings.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the club's return to training is in line with the German Football League's (DFL) recommendation that teams took a break until April 5.

The Bundesliga was suspended on March 13 initially until April 2, but a meeting of clubs on March 31 extended the suspension to April 30 at the earliest.

Bayern will be training in the meantime, though they have asked fans to stay away from the club facilities as the players return to work.

Ahead of the session, which began in glorious sunshine, the club confirmed they would follow strict guidelines on hygiene and the distance kept between players.

"This will be done in coordination with government policy and the relevant authorities," read their statement on Sunday.

"It goes without saying that all hygiene regulations will be strictly observed."

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga table, four points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, David Alaba and Thiago Alcantara are all out of contract in 2021 and are mulling over the offer of fresh terms from the Bundesliga champions, who extended Hansi Flick's stay as head coach on Friday.

Rummenigge reassured Bayern fans that any economic impact from the spread of COVID-19 would not play a part in how those talks played out.

"Our offers are extremely fair and serious - without a 'corona discount'," he told Bild

"I think that not many clubs around the world handle [it like] this in this crisis."

Flick signed on for three years after impressing in interim charge at the Allianz Arena.

He took over from Niko Kovac in November before being appointed head coach on a full-time basis until the end of the season.

Having appeared in danger of failing to mount a title challenge under Kovac, Flick has since restored the winning habit, returning Bayern to the top of the Bundesliga.

However, he is likely to face a rebuilding job during his tenure as the nucleus of a squad who have inspired a decade of dominance are reaching the end of their contracts.

Leagues across much of Europe have resumed or are on the point of doing so after a long suspension caused by the pandemic.

Players have for the large part been hunkered down at home since March, unable to take part in full training sessions until recent weeks and missing the routine of matches.

That concerns Spanish midfielder Martinez, who believes footballers have become increasingly vulnerable to getting hurt.

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic are among the big-name players who have suffered recent injury setbacks.

"I am a player who needs match rhythm. The dynamics of playing every few days is not ideal. We don't have a run of training sessions to reach peak form," Martinez told Marca.

"It's easier now to get injuries because we've stopped for longer than ever before and we haven't had a normal pre-season.

"I'm doing quite well and if the coach wants me I believe I'll be ready.

"And the hot weather's coming. Tell me how you can play in Seville on July 6 or 7."

That aspect will not directly affect Martinez but shows his sympathy for the LaLiga stars who could face difficult playing conditions during the Spanish summer.

Martinez is poised to win another Bundesliga title with Bayern, with his arrival in 2012 from Athletic Bilbao having coincided with the start of a period of startling dominance.

An eighth straight title is almost within Bayern's grasp, given their seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund with five games to go, but Martinez is struggling to enjoy putting the finishing touches to a successful campaign behind closed doors.

And when Bayern went to Dortmund for a crucial game in the Bundesliga last week, Martinez was taken aback by the near-total absence of anyone in and around the stadium.

That is the necessity given concerns about the spread of COVID-19, but Martinez said: "I don't like it. I am very passionate. I need to be yelled at, even if it's to tell me everything. To go to the pitches of Betis or the Bernabeu and have a thousand people telling you about everything. That motivates me.

"My soul fell to my feet when I arrived at Dortmund and saw five people there with their bikes. But I understand that it was necessary to continue."

Bavarian authorities announced on Tuesday that all events where more than 1,000 people would be attending between now and April 19 are to be cancelled.

It means the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie at the Allianz Arena will be held without fans present on March 18, assuming the match goes ahead.

Bayern lead the tie 3-0 after a commanding first-leg victory at Stamford Bridge.

The decision comes despite RB Leipzig's match at home to Tottenham on Tuesday proceeding as planned, with supporters allowed to attend.

Valencia against Atalanta, Paris Saint-Germain's game with Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona versus Napoli are also being played behind closed doors as the coronavirus continues to spread across Europe.

There are suggestions Juventus' clash with Lyon in Turin could be postponed after Italy went into lockdown to try to control the outbreak of COVID-19.

Saturday's Bundesliga derby between Dortmund and Schalke will also be staged without fans.

There were 1,129 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Germany as of Monday.

The German football season is on hold at least until April 30 due to the spread of COVID-19, which has infected almost 40,000 people in Germany – the third most-affected European nation.

Suspension of the campaign is set to have major consequences on the finances of many clubs, with the situation forcing some to implement salary cuts or similar measures.

Players of Bundesliga side Union Berlin are waiving their salaries to aid the wider business, but a new approach from Germany's four Champions League sides should help alleviate the strain on many teams in the top two divisions.

A statement released on Thursday by the German Football League (DFL) confirmed the €20m support fund will be created by the four clubs initially foregoing "their share of the undistributed national media revenue of the DFL in the coming season".

That figure, which stands at €12.5m, will be supplemented by contributions from the clubs' own resources.

"This campaign underlines that solidarity in the Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga is not lip service. The DFL Presidium is very grateful to the four Champions League participants in terms of the community of all clubs," DFL spokesman Christian Seifert said.

Bayern CEO Karl Heinz Rummenigge added: "Together with the three other Champions League participants, we want to send a signal of solidarity to all clubs in the Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga with this initiative.

"In these difficult times, it's important that the stronger shoulders support the weaker shoulders. With this, we also want to show that football is standing together right now."

The DFL will decide on matters relating to the distribution of the €20m.

Holders Bayern, who defeated RB Leipzig 3-0 in last season's final, were due to host Frankfurt on either April 21 or 22, while Leverkusen were scheduled to visit fourth-tier side Saarbrucken.

However, it was confirmed on Friday that both matches will not take place on the planned dates due to the continued threat of COVID-19.

The Bundesliga has been suspended since March 13 and is on hold until April 30 at the earliest.

There have been 49,344 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Germany, with 321 people having died.

Germany's top flight, like the majority of European leagues, is suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The top two tiers in Germany are suspended until at least April 30, with mass gatherings having been prohibited by the government until the end of August.

However, this month German Football Federation (DFL) chief executive Christian Seifert said discussions were in place over a return to action in early May with matches behind closed doors.

Seifert confirmed the DFL's plans to continue with the season and that the start date will be May 9 so long as the plan gets government backing.

But senior union official Jorg Radek believes doing so would pose a risk to public health.

"Maybe it is possible to control what is happening in the stadium. This does not apply to the public space in front of it. The stadiums become a potential target for fans who want to support their team," Radek said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

"That would be devastating. We can't have large crowds outside the stadium gates. It's not only forbidden, it would be irresponsible.

"It becomes relevant to the police at that moment, we then have to ensure that the requirements that currently apply to behaviour in public space are complied with - the requirement of a distance of one and a half metres, the ban on the assembly of large groups, the wearing of masks.

"We will have to intervene in terms of maintaining security and order if this is not guaranteed.

"I want to state that we as a police union are not fundamentally against football games.

"I can also understand that there is a need for many people to stop watching old international matches or old Bundesliga games, but we must not forget what special situation we are all in - this includes the police.

"Games behind closed doors are a danger, even if the organiser does everything in the stadium to ensure that hygiene regulations are observed in order to keep the risk of infection as low as possible."

He said the DFL plans do not appear to cover such aspects and spoke of the prospect of an "additional burden" on police.

"Running the league on the weekends is a huge burden for us even without a corona pandemic," said Radek. "By pausing, we gained a personnel reserve that we could fall back on to increase our presence elsewhere."

Germany's top flight, like the majority of European leagues, is suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The top two tiers in Germany are suspended until at least April 30, with mass gatherings having been prohibited by the government until the end of August.

However, this month German Football Federation (DFL) chief executive Christian Seifert said discussions were in place over a return to action in early May with matches behind closed doors.

Seifert confirmed the DFL's plans to continue with the season and that the start date will by May 9 so long as the plan gets government backing.

But senior union official Jorg Radek believes doing so would pose a risk to public health.

"Maybe it is possible to control what is happening in the stadium. This does not apply to the public space in front of it. The stadiums become a potential target for fans who want to support their team," Radek said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

"That would be devastating. We can't have large crowds outside the stadium gates. It's not only forbidden, it would be irresponsible.

"It becomes relevant to the police at that moment, we then have to ensure that the requirements that currently apply to behaviour in public space are complied with - the requirement of a distance of one and a half metres, the ban on the assembly of large groups, the wearing of masks.

"We will have to intervene in terms of maintaining security and order if this is not guaranteed.

"I want to state that we as a police union are not fundamentally against football games.

"I can also understand that there is a need for many people to stop watching old international matches or old Bundesliga games, but we must not forget what special situation we are all in - this includes the police.

"Games behind closed doors are a danger, even if the organiser does everything in the stadium to ensure that hygiene regulations are observed in order to keep the risk of infection as low as possible."

He said the DFL plans do not appear to cover such aspects and spoke of the prospect of an "additional burden" on police.

"Running the league on the weekends is a huge burden for us even without a corona pandemic," said Radek. "By pausing, we gained a personnel reserve that we could fall back on to increase our presence elsewhere."

The 2019-20 Bundesliga campaign has been postponed since March amid the coronavirus pandemic, but German chancellor Angela Merkel is set to announce a return date on Wednesday.

According to reports, the competition could resume as early as May 15, which would make the Bundesliga the first of the five major European domestic leagues to return since the COVID-19 crisis.

Hertha Berlin's Salomon Kalou was suspended for flouting social-distancing measures, potentially jeopardising the Bundesliga's hopes of returning, and Bayern goalkeeper Neuer urged a responsible approach.

"I am speaking consciously of the football family and football matches, because the fact that advice will be given on the restart of the federal leagues and, if possible, a decision is likely to have consequences for all of football, right down to the many amateur clubs and the youngest generations - and beyond also for many other sports," Neuer wrote for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

"Even from other European countries, and indeed all over the world, people will be looking at us. This is an enormous responsibility for us, which we must be aware of with every fibre. We must be aware that it is also important to us now."

Neuer added: "As a role model, we are part of society. We only want to play football, but that's not enough at this time."

Defending champions Bayern were four points clear of rivals Borussia Dortmund through 25 games at the time of postponement.

Germany's top two tiers are suspended until April 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic, while mass gatherings have been prohibited by the government until the end of August.

DFL chief executive Christian Seifert said this month the organisation was working towards a return to action in early May with games played behind closed doors.

Following a virtual meeting between the 36 clubs on Thursday, the DFL confirmed its plans to continue with the season.

Seifert said: "The Bundesliga is ready to resume, whether on May 9 or a later date. But it's not up to us to find a date, the political decision-makers decide.

"We have not defined an exact date today. The fact that we are even able to think about resuming games underlines the performance of the German authorities. It would be presumptuous for the DFL to name an exact date for the restart.

"If the signal comes in the next week that it can be May 9, then it will be May 9. It's not up to us whether we can play at all. It is only up to us to create the framework conditions.

"The season should be finished by June 30. If we need to play in July too, we will. We are currently not thinking about next season. First of all, it is the matter of ending the current season."

Guidelines for the staging of matches include strict hygiene requirements, close testing and permanent monitoring of those at the games. The DFL will also provide €500,000 to public health authorities to help with coronavirus testing.

Access to Bundesliga stadiums will be limited to 213 people on matchdays and Seifert urged fans not to gather outside arenas.

"When we start playing again, gatherings outside the stadium must be avoided," said Seifert.

"Otherwise the fans will need to accept the fact that the matches will not take place. If this happens during the match, it will be cancelled.

"The situation might even require us to talk about games without fans next year. Therefore, the clubs should plan without income from spectators for the time being."

It was also announced by the DFL that €7.5million from the solidarity fund set up by Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen will be shared equally between the 3. Liga and women's Bundesliga.

In Germany there have been over 151,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,354 recorded deaths.

UEFA has suspended the Champions League and Europa League indefinitely during the coronavirus pandemic.

President Aleksander Ceferin said last week that he would consider allowing those European competitions to resume behind closed doors if necessary, likely in July and August, but he accepted they might have to be cancelled if they were unable to resume matches by September.

With Europe's top leagues also facing the prospect of having to be completed in July or later, Hernandez does not think it will be practical to stage the final rounds of the Champions League at the same time.

"It's going to be hard to cram all this in as well as a possible end to the league," he told L'Equipe.

"The Champions League concerns all the countries affected by coronavirus. It will be difficult to get everyone out of lockdown, to be in similar condition but also just to meet up, to travel to Italy, Spain, England or France.

"You have to be realistic. I think it will be impossible to finish in the Champions League in these times, especially if we favour ending the domestic leagues."

Clubs in the Bundesliga have been allowed to resume first-team training, albeit with strict restrictions in place on the number of players assembled at any one time.

Bayern kept players in separate small groups to adhere to social distancing guidelines after beginning training at Sabener Strasse from last Monday.

"The conditions are very strict. We are in small groups of four. We do not meet the others," Hernandez explained.

"We train at different times to avoid contact. The changing rooms are also arranged differently. We don't occupy the same pitches.

"But as soon as it's over, we'll quickly go and shower and eat at home. This is another way to get the machine up and running again."

Like most competitions around the world, the Bundesliga has been suspended in an effort to limit the impact of coronavirus.

However, it would appear Germany's top flight is closer to returning than other leagues as most teams have already resumed training in small groups, with games set to take place behind closed doors in early May.

There have been fears that some leagues may have to be scrapped entirely if they cannot be concluded in the coming weeks, yet Rummenigge is vehemently against that notion.

"We know that it is necessary to start again for two reasons," he told Corriere dello Sport. 

"The first is the sports one. You have to assign the title, know which team will participate in the cups, who will be demoted. 

"The second, no less important, is economic. Here the televisions that broadcast the games have a strong impact on revenues."

To help lessen the financial impact, Bayern and Germany's three other Champions League representatives in 2019-20 - Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen - have all pledged €20million to Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga clubs.

Rummenigge warned such collaborations will be necessary across the game after a decade of big spending.

"For 10 years, football has lived beyond its means and the clubs have taken all the risks," he added.

"In such a difficult moment, balance sheets do not count as much as cash.

"The crisis is global, the solution must be shared. The field can limit the damage. FIFA and UEFA must improve their relations and act economically."

The 2014 World Cup-winning skipper says German football in particular must protect its core strengths during the leagues' lockdown.

With no prospect of a swift resumption, the Bundesliga season has been suspended until April 30, although that is also likely to be set back.

Lahm, in an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, has urged footballers to show a social conscience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of the game's stars have given large donations to charity, while clubs, suddenly hit by a financial crisis, have sought for players to accept significant pay cuts until they can return to work.

The willingness to make sacrifices is one that 36-year-old former Bayern Munich great Lahm believes will be closely watched by fans.

"Football can even emerge stronger from the crisis under one condition: if players and officials act as role models in public through their social behaviour," Lahm said.

"The fundraisers of coaches and players show they have a sense of responsibility. It's a good time to give something back to the society that carries our sport and the people who love football."

Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski and his wife Anna have made a €1million donation to a coronavirus-fighting fund, with a number of team-mates also contributing major sums.

Lahm, who retired from playing in 2017, said: "Football is just at the moment in an existential crisis, so solidarity is needed."

He spoke in the interview of the need to "maintain structures that characterise German football", including its youth development, stadiums, training set-ups and public approval.

Like everyone, Lahm is waiting for the day football can safely resume.

"Football will recover quickly," he added, "as soon as the risk of transmission is contained by an appropriate vaccine."

Goretzka and Kimmich set up a fund called 'We Kick Corona', to which they made a joint donation of one million euros.

After making an equal donation, the Lewandowskis told Bild they hoped life would soon return to normal.

"We are all aware of the difficult situation around us," they said.

"Today we all play as a team. Let us be strong in this fight. If we can help someone, do it.

"This situation affects all of us, so we ask that you follow the instructions and listen to those who are most aware. Show responsibility!

"We believe that we will soon return to our normal life. We are in this situation together and we are through it together."

We Kick Corona is inviting charities and social institutions to apply for funds from the €2.5m it has raised, and Kimmich echoed Lewandowski's call for solidarity.

"Everyone can help, both in small and large ways," said Kimmich.

"Only if we stand together now, show reason and responsibility and are there for each other can we make it out of this crisis."

The Bundesliga reached its second weekend of action since resuming behind closed doors after a two-month hiatus.

Bayern Munich honorary president Beckenbauer attended Saturday's entertaining 5-2 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt after joining the club's delegation at the invitation of chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

And while accepting having no fans present is not perfect, the former World Cup winning player and coach does not feel the level of play on the pitch has been particularly affected.

"It is not entirely satisfactory for the football fan because they are not allowed to go to the stadium, but there is no difference in the performance of the players," Beckenbauer said to sport1.

"I think that you can [play during the pandemic] if everyone adheres to the rules.

"In these circumstances, without fans and atmosphere, it was an excellent football game. Compliments to both teams, it was really, really good football.

"Bayern are in a very strong condition, but the Frankfurt players also played very well.

"They were 3-0 behind and then came back to 3-2. Then Bayern got dressed again and suddenly it was 5-2. It was a very interesting game."