Cologne's supporters cheer on their team against Bayern Munich. Three members of staff from the club recently tested positive for the coronavirus but the rest of the squad have tested negative. AFP
Cologne's supporters cheer on their team against Bayern Munich. Three members of staff from the club recently tested positive for the coronavirus but the rest of the squad have tested negative. AFP
Cologne's supporters cheer on their team against Bayern Munich. Three members of staff from the club recently tested positive for the coronavirus but the rest of the squad have tested negative. AFP
Cologne's supporters cheer on their team against Bayern Munich. Three members of staff from the club recently tested positive for the coronavirus but the rest of the squad have tested negative. AFP

Bundesliga hopes of imminent return raised as Cologne squad tests negative for coronavirus


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Hopes of restarting the Bundesliga season were given a boost on Monday after coronavirus tests administered on the FC Cologne squad all found no further cases.

The German league's plans to restart this month hit a road bump on Friday when it emerged that three people at Cologne - midfielder Niklas Hauptmann and defender Ismail Jakobs, and a club physio - had tested positive.

The trio remain in quarantine and a second round of tests on Sunday on the other squad members and staff were all negative, the club said on Monday.

The German Football League (DFL) plans to resume from May 16 behind closed doors, providing it gets permission from Angela Merkel's government.

A decision is expected on Wednesday.

On Sunday, Horst Seehofer, Germany's minister for sport and the interior, said he supported a resumption of the Bundesliga, despite the positive tests in Cologne.

Part of the restart plan is that players are tested every few days and are only be allowed to play after returning two negatives.

The 18 clubs in Germany's top flight started testing their players and staff last week.

On Monday, defending champions Bayern Munich, who were four points clear when the Bundesliga was halted on March 13, announced that all those tested had negative results.

Since early April, Germany's top clubs have been training mainly in small groups in anticipation of the league resuming.

Germany had reported 163,175 cases of Covid-19 as of Monday, but its death toll of 6,692 remains much lower than in Spain, France, the UK and Italy, home to Europe's other top football leagues.

A return in May would make the Bundesliga the first top league in Europe to resume as Germany cautiously eases lockdown measures.

Germany's top clubs are desperate for the season to be completed by June 30 in order to claim an instalment of television money worth €300 million (Dh1.2 billion).

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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While you're here
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
 
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
 
Don’t be afraid to negotiate

It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
 
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
 
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.

The specs

Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder

Transmission: 7-speed auto

0-100kmh 2.3 seconds

0-200kmh 5.5 seconds

0-300kmh 11.6 seconds

Power: 1500hp

Torque: 1600Nm

Price: Dh13,400,000

On sale: now