BERLIN - What seemed unthinkable a few months ago could soon
become normal. If the Bundesliga season can resume amid the
coronavirus outbreak, matches will take place behind closed doors
until at least the end of August.
Players from local Rhine rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach and Cologne
have already tasted the closed door experience when they contested
the first Bundesliga match in such circumstances in early March. It
was strange...
"Without fans it is not the football we wish for," Gladbach coach
Marco Rose said after a 2-1 win while referee Deniz Aytekin said it
was "really quite different, scary."
Supporters and clubs are now working on creative ideas to at reduce
the sad sights of empty stadiums at least a little. How can some of
the traditional match atmosphere be saved?
CARDBOARD CUT-OUTS IN THE STANDS
The Gladbach players will not be without the faces of their fans
thanks to cardboard cut-outs. A fan project has allowed supporters to
print their face onto a template which will then be brought into the
stadium for matches. Organizers say more than 1,000 orders have
already been made.
CHOREOGRAPHY IN COLOGNE
Cologne supporters intend to fill their Rhine Energy Stadium with
choreographies, according the Bild newspaper. This is likely to take
the form of banners, flags and signs in a move coordinated between
fans and club.
ATMOSPHERE AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON
A fan-app hopes to maintain some atmosphere behind closed doors by
offering supporters different buttons to 'applaud' or 'cheer' at
games. Fans watching on television could use the app to transmit some
of their emotions to stadiums which would use their loudspeaker
systems to broadcast these to the players. The more fans who take
part, the louder the sound at the match. But when this will be ready
is unclear. While developers are in contact with a number of clubs,
there is no concrete plan for testing.