Abnormal results and loan deals: How COVID-19 has affected the Bundesliga so far | Sportsman | German football and major international sports news | DW

Sunday night, the writer was enjoying a rare weekend off and only paid half attention to the images of Bayern Munich against Hertha Berlin on television.

Catching several goals in quick succession out of the corner of my eye, I assumed these were highlights that I would catch up on later, only for a live notification informing me of a full-time score within moments. later: Bayern 4-3 Herta.

These weren’t strong moments; it was live.

Bizarre results

The Berliners haven’t won in Munich for almost 40 years, but they came very close to a famous point in a game that saw seven goals scored in just 53 minutes and six in one half.

A week earlier, Bayern had conceded four at Hoffenheim, crashing on their heaviest Bundesliga defeat since Eintracht Frankfurt’s 5-1 humiliation under former coach Niko Kovac in November. Since then, they had conceded a total of just 16 Bundesliga goals under Hansi Flick. Seven in two league games is more than in their previous 12 combined.

And Bayern weren’t alone in their sudden defensive failures. In England on the same afternoon, Manchester United and Liverpool also made returns around the world after shipping six and seven respectively, as the exhausting effects of the coronavirus pandemic on professional football became clearer than ever. .

Bayern players and staff have all insisted fatigue was not a factor in the loss to Hoffenheim, despite having only had 25 days off between the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain and the Bundesliga opener against Schalke the week before. Consider their two Super Cup appearances for UEFA and the DFL and Bayern are already five games in a season that could total 57 in the space of 253 days.

Still, while players don’t necessarily feel physically fatigued during games – certainly not Robert Lewandowski, who has already scored five goals this season, four on Sunday – Bayern’s defensive form suggests some mental fatigue.

The key to Bayern’s success under Flick has been the discipline and intensity of their pressing, a complex endeavor at this level that requires high levels of focus to determine exactly when and where to collectively pressurize the opposition, while at the same time pulling back. guarding against the counter-attack.

But Hoffenheim has repeatedly exposed the champions’ high and unruly defensive line. The same goes for Hertha striker Dodi Lukebakio on Sunday as the game was still scoreless even though the cross-marking was loosened which ultimately led to two of Hertha’s goals, further proof of a slight drop in concentration.

Loan agreements

Bayern have used the transfer window to bolster a relatively thin squad ahead of the grueling weeks and months to come, but even they have had to do business differently in a transfer market that bears little resemblance to previous years.

For only the third time since 1992, Bundesliga clubs have in fact made a combined net profit on their summer transfer deals, registering a total of 1.7 million euros more than the 228.3 million euros. ‘euros less than last season (figures according to Transfer market).

Chelsea’s acquisition of Timo Werner (€ 53m from RB Leipzig) and Kai Havertz (€ 80m from Bayer Leverkusen) generated the highest costs for Bundesliga clubs but, with teams suffering financially because of the pandemic, the money was not reinvested. Leroy Sané arrived at Bayern Munich for € 45m, not an extravagant amount by their standards and one that was made up for by the departure of Thiago Alcantara (€ 22m for Liverpool) anyway.

Kai Havertz and Timo Werner attracted huge fees that weren’t reinvested

Elsewhere, even Bundesliga clubs with one-time financial backing weren’t particularly spendthrift. Hertha Berlin, who spent more than any other club in Europe last January thanks to millions from investor Lars Windhorst, signed striker Jhon Cordoba from Cologne for € 15million, but Ondrej Duda went into the ‘other direction for 7 million euros.

Otherwise, the market has been dominated by an abundance of loan moves, with Bundesliga sides closing ten of those deals in the last eight hours of the transfer window alone. Douglas Costa’s return to Bayern (from Juventus) drew the most attention, but it was the Hoffenheim business that stood out as they recruited English starlet Ryan Sessegnon from Tottenham Hotspur and secured the services of Sebastian Rudy for another year of Schalke.

With Schalke still paying Rudy’s salary, the Germany international even agreed to a 50% pay cut to allow repayment of the loan to his former club, which says a lot about the Royal Blues’ dire financial situation.

Honorable mention should also go to Augsburg, who signed goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz (from Union Berlin), midfielder Tobias Strobl (from Borussia Mönchengladbach) and striker Daniel Caligiuri (from Schalke) at the start of the window. – all for free.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has also dampened movements that seemed inevitable in January. Cash-strapped Werder Bremen planned to receive up to € 35million for Milot Rashica, with RB Leipzig being the first favorite for the signing of Kosovar winger and Premier League side Aston Villa voicing also its interest. In the end, a last minute loan to Bayer Leverkusen failed due to disagreements over a call option.

Staying in Bremen after all: Milot Rashica

More madness to come

With three matchdays played and the transfer window now closed, the coronavirus pandemic has already had a noticeable effect on Bundesliga clubs, the way they play and do business.

As German football continues to negotiate a busier schedule than ever before and clubs continue to lose income on match days due to the lack of supporters, it seems likely that we will see more odd scores and results – with goals scored by players on loan.

Better to keep paying attention.