BORUSSIA DORTMUND’S COACH and chief executive spoke of the “very strange” and “surreal” experience of games being played in empty stadiums after their side beat Schalke as the Bundesliga returned to action.
Second-placed Dortmund won 4-0 to close the gap on leaders Bayern Munich to one point as the Bundesliga became the first top league to resume play since the coronavirus pandemic forced the season to be put on hold in March.
Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said it had been unsettling to watch the game in the club’s empty Signal Iduna Park, where more than 80,000 spectators would normally have roared on the teams.
“There is something surreal about it. In the two hours before the match, you receive text messages from all over the world, people who tell you that they are going to watch the match on TV,” Watzke said.
“And then you drive through your city and there is absolutely nothing happening. You have to get used to it.”
Dortmund winger Julian Brandt said the club’s defeat at Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc des Princes behind closed doors in February had helped them acclimatise to the echoing stands.
“We had a small advantage,” said Brandt, who helped create two goals on Saturday.
“We’d already played behind closed doors in Paris and we knew the feeling of silence in the stadium,” he said, referring to the 2-0 away defeat which saw the German team exit the Champions League in the last 16.
“Of course, we’d have preferred normal conditions, but in the end, football is football and we tried to have fun,” added Brandt.
“It was tough on the legs at the end, because of the long break.”
Head coach Lucien Favre landed a playful punch on the arm of ex-captain Sebastian Kehl on the Dortmund bench at the final whistle, but it was Schalke chairman Clemens Toennies who felt bruised.
“4:0 against Schalke – that’s quite okay,” said Favre as Dortmund avenged their 4-2 home derby defeat a year ago.
He admitted it was strange playing in such exceptional conditions.
“There was no noise – you shoot at the goal, make a top pass, score a goal – and nothing happens,” said the Swiss.
“That’s very, very strange. We really missed our fans.
“It’s hard to judge how good the game was, but the players were very focused.”
All the pressure on Offaly today and they were well deserved winners. Hopefully they will progress to senior level and they’ll compete in the All-Ireland series in 4/5 years time. Congratulations from a KK supporter
@Niall Egan: Fancied Offally to win this. Especially after the heartache of losing a minor and under 20. Some very good hurlers coming through.
@Ray Ridge: Brilliant
What a team…the most likeable team in the gaa at the moment.. thank you Leo..
There won’t be a bunker raked in esker hills tomorrow
Some group of hurlers just shows what can be done when everyone is on the same page, Workrate, teamwork, determination, skill and bottle in abundance they have it all.
Go on The Faithful county
Congrats to Offaly. They completely out hurled Tipp and could have won by much more.
Screeney is a class act and we all know that already. Dan Bourke was my man of the match. Imperious at centre forward. His goal put the game to bed just when Tipp had responded well to the first Offaly goal and looked like the game would go to the wire.
The joke among Tipp fans leaving the ground was at least the traffic won’t be bad leaving with all the Offaly fans celebrating back on the pitch.
It was the best atmosphere at a game in years thanks to the great Offaly support.
Enjoy the celebrations in Birr, Banagher, Tullamore and the rest of Offaly. Third time is a charm as someone else posted and this team are great champions.
Super atmosphere in KK,the place was mega.great game of hurling and Offaly never looked like they were going to come 2nd this evening.commiserations to a very good Tipperary team who had us on the edge of our seats at times alright but congratulations to the Faithful ! Up Offaly
Delighted for Offaly and Leo as well. Great stuff!
A Limerick man over a swashbuckling Offaly side winning an AI, Leo should get the senior job in a few years time with the majority of that side breaking through.
@colmkearney39@hotmail.com: the legend Eamon Cregan was also an adopted Limerick man and wiped the floor with his own county to bring glory to the Offaly senior team.
Better team won, no complaints, hopefully a few players from both set ups make the step up to senior level over the next few years.
What a brilliant atmosphere at the game, despite being on the losing side, just home watching the Saturday game, could have done with more coverage, interviews etc.