Live sport returns on the weekend, with Bundesliga fixtures kicking off in Germany. Fans will not be permitted in the stadiums and teams and players will have to comply with strict protocol to ensure their safety.
There are nine rounds of Bundesliga fixtures remaining with Bayern Munich topping the log on 55 points. They’re followed closely by Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig who sit on 51 and 50 points respectively.
Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert has warned the matches will “look and feel different”.
Teams only started squad training sessions last week having previously worked in small groups.
“I’m calling it ‘flying blind’,” Hertha Berlin coach Bruno Labbadia said.
“With so few days of preparation, it’s impossible to say where we stand.”
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller said his teammates were raring to go.
“When I see the emotions we have developed over the last few days, even in a training game, it shows our greed for regular competition,” Mueller wrote on LinkedIn.
Soccer starved fans in South Africa won?t be able to watch on SuperSport, though. The broadcaster does not have the rights to show the Bundesliga, but not all hope is lost.
Watch Bundesliga fixtures live and free in South Africa
SuperSport might not have the rights to broadcast, but Openview does. Openview describes itself as “South Africa’s first free-to-air satellite TV service” on its website.
“Just pay once for your decoder, dish and/or installation; there are no contracts and no monthly fees,” the website adds.
Since the announcement of the return of the Bundesliga, the Openview has been promoting the league over on their Instagram account.
Decoders and dishes are available through various online retailers listed on the Openview website. South Africa eased lockdown restrictions for e-commerce retailers earlier in the week. It is not immediately clear if decoders can also be purchased in a physical store under the current restrictions.
Which Bundesliga fixtures are live on Openview in South Africa?
Not all the Bundesliga fixtures are live on Openview, though. When the deal was first announced, the press release said:
“Openview will regularly broadcast the Bundesliga match played on Saturday at 19:30 SAST (17:30 GMT) live on its e.tv news and sports news channel 120. Football fans will also be able to watch the Bundesliga weekly overview and highlights as part of this deal.”
For more information, contact Openview through Twitter or their other social media channels.