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Berlin - By Marie Reichenbach, - 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.
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.
