The Chinese Super League (CSL) has delivered an impressive example setting up convincing concepts for a secure league competition with fans in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the head of Bundesliga International China Office Patrick Stueber.
German football can learn from Chinese league's COVID-19 prevention experience, Bundesliga official
"The German Bundesliga can learn from CSL regarding their achievements to run games and allow the return of fans," Stueber told Xinhua in a round-table interview including club representatives from Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04.
Both clubs face an eagerly awaited derby this Saturday, with 300 fans allowed to enter the stadium.
Stueber pointed out that the German national league has been in close contact with Chinese football organizations back in May about the German re-start concept's details to finish the national league in games behind closed doors.
"The CSL praised the close partnership back in May. Looking at their current achievements, we know great efforts must have been made to secure people's safety," Stueber commented.
The CSL has turned the home-and-away games into tournaments organized by two cities' division. More than 23,000 coronavirus tests had been executed for all the participants in the first stage and no one has been infected by now.
German football can learn from Chinese league's COVID-19 prevention experience, Bundesliga official
As the first top league to restart last season, Bundesliga had set a world model with its hygiene concept which inspired many sports organizers, but recently more cases came out in clubs like Bayern, Dortmund, Hertha, Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen as the second wave hit Germany seriously.
Stueber watched the Shanghai Derby on Friday in Suzhou city and called it overwhelmingly interesting to see how the CSL has set up this concept. "Seeing CSL operated well, we might not be able to copy it one-to-one, considering the differences between both countries. I would say this is a very good current example what Bundesliga can learn from the Chinese Football Association and CSL."
The official talked about German football's intense efforts to find Chinse talents to join the German league. The German league is said to have nearly 70 million avid fans in China, with almost 200 million talking about having a high interest in the Bundesliga.
"A Chinese talent in the Bundesliga would certainly be a game-changer regarding interest rates," Stueber said. He added that it might take some time as "this is a long-term project." He mentioned Germany long way as a traditional football country setting up talent academies in 2002 and 12 years later winning the World Cup.
German football can learn from Chinese league's COVID-19 prevention experience, Bundesliga official
He called China the area the Bundesliga is investing more effort than anywhere else. The Bundesliga intends to become the most popular league in China.
Conrad Ziesch, the head of Schalke's China office, and Benjamin Wahl, the head of BVB's China office, mentioned both sides' efforts to support football development in China. "We want to contribute our share to help China to run the 2030 World Cup or at least a participation," Ziesch said.
China needs to develop its individual pattern using its sportive expertise. "We need to create a middle course combining both the German experience and China's emerging football and expertise of other sports," Wahl said.
Both clubs stand for successful talent development over the recent decades.
Stueber said Saturday's Revierderby stands for the passion and excitement the Bundesliga can deliver to fans worldwide. "Both sides are only 30 kilometers apart and are located in a region of coal mining and steel production. The atmosphere has always been terrific," Stueber said.
German football can learn from Chinese league's COVID-19 prevention experience, Bundesliga official
This time fans mostly have to stick to digital formats and TV broadcastings. But that in no way diminishes the enthusiasm.
"Games like that increase the Bundesliga's international reputation," Stueber added.
Many fans regard the derby outcome far more important than to win the national title.
BERLIN (AP) — No Xabi, no problem.
Even without coach Xabi Alonso on the touchline, Bayer Leverkusen remained unbeaten Sunday with a 5-1 Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt that stretched its record run without defeat to 48 games in all competitions.
Alonso was suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, but he watched from the stands as his Bundesliga champions showed no tiredness from Thursday’s 2-0 win at Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals.
“It was another perspective,” Alonso said after seeing Czech forward Adam Hložek set up three goals. “We played very seriously. Of course the result is super, but the performance was very professional.”
Alonso rotated the team with just Edmond Tapsoba, Robert Andrich and Granit Xhaka keeping their places from Rome. Brazilian winger Arthur made his first start after recovering from a serious thigh injury.
Xhaka fired the visitors in front in the 12th minute with a brilliant strike from distance.
Hugo Ekitiké equalized, but that was as good as it got for Frankfurt with Omar Marmoush blazing over when he only had Leverkusen ’keeper Lukáš Hrádecký to beat.
Patrik Schick powered a header past Kevin Trapp before the break and Exequiel Palacios made it 3-1 with a penalty after it.
Substitute Jeremie Frimpong capped a brilliant team move with the fourth goal in the 77th, and Victor Boniface completed the scoring with another penalty in the 89th. It was Leverkusen's 82nd goal in the Bundesliga this season, a new club record.
Leverkusen hasn’t lost a game in any competition this season. Its 48-game unbeaten start is a record across Europe’s “big five” leagues.
UNION IN TROUBLE
Union Berlin, which played Real Madrid in the Champions League this season, edged closer to relegation with a 4-3 loss at home to fellow struggler Bochum.
Bochum defender Maximilian Wittek scored twice in a game for the first time, before Keven Schlotterbeck made it 3-0 in the 37th.
Union coach Nenad Bjelica reacted with three changes at the break, sending on Yorbe Vertessen, Brenden Aaronson and Chris Bedia.
Vertessen pulled one back in the 59th, three minutes before Bedia got another, only for Union's defense to leave Philipp Hofmann free to head the visitors’ fourth.
Aaronson did brilliantly to set up Benedict Hollerbach for Union’s third in the 74th, but the equalizer never came.
Union, which was only promoted to the Bundesliga in 2019, played in the Champions League this season after an unlikely fourth-place finish last year. Summer transfers did not have the desired effect and the team let long-time favorite coach Urs Fischer go in November.
Before kickoff Sunday, Union president Dirk Zingler denied reports that the club was set to dismiss Fischer's replacement, Bjelica, at the end of the season.
“Bjelica has our full support,” Zingler said. “The season we've played hasn't been a good one. That has nothing to do with Bjelica, but with the first half of the season. We didn't play well then. As a club, we didn't deliver.”
Bochum (33 points) moved three points ahead of Union, which was just a point ahead of Mainz (29) in the relegation playoff spot. Mainz drew at Heidenheim 1-1 in the late game.
Union visits second-from-bottom Cologne (24) next weekend in what will be a must-win game for the home team to avoid being relegated alongside last-place Darmstadt.
Two rounds remain.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso smiles during an interview ahead of the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso is seen during an interview ahead of the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt's Robin Koch, Leverkusen's Patrik Schick and Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, from left, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Leverkusen's Robert Andrich gestures during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp reacts during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt's Niels Nkounkou, left, and Leverkusen's Nathan Tella challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, right, celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka celebrates his side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Frankfurt's Niels Nkounkou, left, and Leverkusen's Nathan Tella challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, right, celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. Left Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka who scored the first goal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Leverkusen players celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga Soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Philipp Hofmann, centre, of VfL Bochum celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's fourth goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum, at the An der Alten Forsterei stadium in Berlin, Germany, Sunday May 5, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
Philipp Hofmann of VfL Bochum celebrates after scoring their side's fourth goal of the game during the Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum, at the An der Alten Forsterei stadium in Berlin, Germany, Sunday May 5, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)
