The German Bundesliga was the first to return after an unplanned break. The restart saw the league leaders Bayern Munich extend their lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 win over Union Berlin.
As other leagues also plan to resume, it was a sigh of relief for punters on Oddsfalaa and other betting sites. But, the players, coaches, and other staff had to adjust to extreme hygiene measures.
The nine games that were played during the restart were played in empty stadiums. Players no longer celebrate goals by hugging and high fiving each other. They were forced to celebrate with fist bumps. In this article, we take a look at some of the things we learned from the restart.
1. The referee has an easier time
With the matches played without fans, the referees find it easier to control games without the crowd noise. Furthermore, upon a contentious decision, players cannot immediately rush towards the referee in groups.
The absence of fans makes the match less emotional. There seemed to be greater acceptance when referees made decisions. The players are more focused on the task at hand and are not involved in protests with the referee.
2. There is no home advantage
During the restart, only one team, Dortmund, thrashed Schalke 4-0 in the Ruhr derby. Home teams no longer have the adoring home fans to push them on.
Some of the players admitted that there was no longer a home advantage. Host teams were used to the stadium atmosphere with their chanting fans. But without the fans, the edge is gone. These changes the way punters predict matches as the home advantage is no longer a factor.
3. The ball was in play more
According to sports data company Deltatre, the ball was in play more than in previous games. They stated that the ball was in play for an average of 59.00 minutes compared to the season figure of 57.05.
In the game between Fortuna Duesseldorf and Paderborn that ended in a goalless draw, the ball was in play for 62.28 minutes. The lowest figure recorded since the restart was in the match between Cologne and Mainz, which ended in a two-all draw.
4. There were fewer goals and lots of running
Statistics show that the number of shots and goals reduced slightly. There were 24.3 shots down from an average of 26.8 shots. The goals average also dropped from 3.25 to three. This is another factor that will change how punters do their predictions.
But, the players seemed to work as hard as they did before the break. The average sprint per club stood at 220.1 compared to 220.3 before the new normal.
Teams covered a little more distance, with an average of 116.4 kilometers compared to the previous 116.2. Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munich covered the longest distance during the restart, having covered 12.93km in Berlin.
5. Social distancing
Players enjoyed moments when goals were scored; they forgot to keep their social distance in some matches. Players found it hard at the start, but they adapted as the games went on.
Erling Haaland, who scored the first goal of the restart, was seen dancing alone as his teammates clapped. Some found it challenging to keep their hands off their teammates. Dedryck Boyata of Hertha Berlin had to apologize for holding a teammate's face while whispering instructions into their ears.
The players have to learn to operate within the new standard protocols and keep their social distance. It won't be easy at the beginning, but they will adapt as time goes.