Jamilu Collins, Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Ujah and several other players in Germany will return to action today (Saturday) as football makes comeback to the Bundesliga after over two months of suspension due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
The German league, which was suspended on March 13, is the first of the top five European leagues to resume, with Serie A, La Liga, and the English Premier League expected to resume from June, with the French Ligue 1, Dutch Eredivisie and the Belgian league all cancelled.
The pandemic brought football to a standstill globally and Germany’s progress is likely to be closely watched by other leagues.
Games in Bundesliga are expected to be held behind closed doors, while extreme physical contact has been discouraged.
Collins will be the first of three Nigerians plying their trade in the Bundesliga to return to action on Saturday (today), when his club, FC Paderborn, file out against Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Ujah’s Union Berlin will have a tough test when they entertain champions and log-leaders Bayern Munich on Sunday, as they seek to maintain their Bundesliga status next season.
Former Nigeria U-17 and U-20 striker, Awoniyi, who has featured six times for Mainz this season, will be hoping to feature when Mainz visit FC Koln at the Mungersdorfer Stadion on Sunday.
Also expected to be in action for Koln against Awoniyi’s Mainz is new Eagles invitee, Kingsley Ehizibue.
Before the league went on break, Collins won the third highest duels – 296 – behind Union Berlin’s Serbastian Anderson (405) and Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram (334).
Ehizibue committed the third highest fouls – 43 – with Union Berlin’s Robert Andrich and RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer in first and second positions with 53 and 50 fouls committed respectively.
