Bundesliga returns: Borussia Dortmund thrash Schalke 4-0

Football returned in a spectacular fashion as Borussia Dortmund thrashed Schalke 4-0 in Saturday’s Revierderby at the Signal Iduna Park in Bundesliga amid the coronavirus crisis.

Borussia Dortmund thrashed local rivals Schalke 4-0 to close the gap on current champions and leaders Bayern Munich to one point with goals from Erling Haaland and Thorgan Hazard as the Bundesliga restarted on Saturday after a two-month break because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The game will mostly be remembered for the surreal circumstances in which it was played, as Germany’s Bundesliga became the first major league in Europe to resume action behind closed doors.

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There was an uncanny atmosphere at Dortmund’s iconic Signal Iduna Park stadium, with every shout by players or coaches audible, and social distancing protocol followed by substitutes and even during goal celebrations.

Image credit : bbc.com

Elite-level football might be back in Europe, but it certainly has a different feel about it than it did two months ago.

Strict hygiene protocols forced the Dortmund and Schalke players to arrive on multiple buses, use several changing rooms and then enter the pitch by different routes.

Warm-ups were staggered and the coaching staff and substitutes wore masks and were all separated by two metres as they took their place on the sidelines.

Once the balls had been disinfected by the ball-boys, the game began in total silence, only pierced by the referee’s whistle for kick-off, before being played out to the sound of echoed applause or yelled instructions from the dug-outs.

Image credits : bbc.com

Erling Haaland once again reminded the world of his talent when he opened the scoring with a trademark cool finish, flicking home Thorgen Hazard’s cross to continue his sensational season, albeit after an enforced break of almost 10 weeks.

Raphael Guerreiro added two more goals and Hazard also found the net as Dortmund went on to claim a comfortable win over their near neighbours and move within a point of leaders Bayern Munich, who play on Sunday.

Image credit : bbc.com