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Schalke lift Cup as Neuer speculation cranks up

Bayern Munich-target Manuel Neuer captained Schalke 04 to their fifth German Cup title as second-division Duisburg were hammered 5-0 in Saturday's final on what may have been his last game for the club.

Published: 22 May 2011 09:37 CEST
Schalke lift Cup as Neuer speculation cranks up
Photo: DPA

The 25-year-old has told Schalke he will not stay past June 2012 and with Bavarian giants Bayern waiting to sign him for a reported €25 million before next season, Neuer lifted the German Cup at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Bayern are in talks with Schalke about signing the Germany goalkeeper and it seems to be a case of when, not if, Neuer will go to Munich.

“I have no idea and I can’t say when an announcement will be made, because I have no information and I am also waiting to hear,” said Neuer after celebrating with his team.

And Schalke’s bosses were tight-lipped on the issue. “Tonight is not the right time to talk about that,” said Schalke manager Horst Heldt when asked if Neuer had played his last game for the Royal Blues. “We have won the cup final and now is the time to celebrate.”

“We won’t be announcing anything, because there is nothing to announce.”

Neuer’s side dominated the final and he was rarely troubled in goal. Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored either side of half-time, teenage midfielder Julian Draxler got the first, while goals from midfielder Jose Jurado and defender Benedikt Höwedes completed the rout.

“We played with great concentration and in the end it was, thank God, a clear result,” said Schalke manager Ralf Rangnick, who won his first title as a coach.

After Dortmund won the German league title, Gelsenkirchen-based Schalke have now completed the Ruhr valley double.

Having beaten Bundesliga sides Kaiserslautern and Cologne on their way to the final, Duisburg were desperately out-played and lacked the firepower to

trouble the Champions League semi-finalists.

“We are somewhat disappointed because we were not able to take more out of the game,” said Duisburg coach Milan Sasic. “Many thanks to our fans who came here and showed some understanding for this defeat.”

Duisburg were hit with a host of injuries last week and came into the final with high hopes of a first cup title, only to trail 3-0 at the break as Peru winger Jefferson Farfan set up all three goals.

Draxler put Schalke ahead when the 17-year-old volleyed home a superb shot from 16 metres out on 18 minutes and the Bundesliga team tightened their grip

on the cup with a second four minutes later.

Farfan beat two defenders on the edge of the area and Huntelaar fired home on 22 minutes for the first of his double.

The match was effectively ended as a contest when Farfan fired in a corner and Duisburg were punished for unwisely leaving Schalke defender Höwedes unmarked to smash home his header on 42 minutes from all of four metres out.

It was 3-0 at the break, but Schalke began the second half with a hiss and a roar and after Huntelaar’s pass split the increasingly-porous Duisburg defence, Spanish midfielder Jose Jurado buried his shot into the bottom right of the net.

Huntelaar compounded David Yelldell’s miserable night as the Duisburg goalkeeper could only watch in dismay as the Dutchman’s shot rolled over the line on 70 minutes to complete the minnows’ misery.

AFP/bk

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BERLIN

EXPLAINED: Berlin’s latest Covid rules

In response to rapidly rising Covid-19 infection rates, the Berlin Senate has introduced stricter rules, which came into force on Saturday, November 27th. Here's what you need to know.

Published: 27 November 2021 16:16 CET
Updated: 29 November 2021 14:17 CET
A sign in front of a waxing studio in Berlin indicates the rule of the 2G system
A sign in front of a waxing studio indicates the rule of the 2G system with access only for fully vaccinated people and those who can show proof of recovery from Covid-19 as restrictions tighten in Berlin. STEFANIE LOOS / AFP

The Senate agreed on the tougher restrictions on Tuesday, November 23rd with the goal of reducing contacts and mobility, according to State Secretary of Health Martin Matz (SPD).

He explained after the meeting that these measures should slow the increase in Covid-19 infection rates, which was important as “the situation had, unfortunately, deteriorated over the past weeks”, according to media reports.

READ ALSO: Tougher Covid measures needed to stop 100,000 more deaths, warns top German virologist

Essentially, the new rules exclude from much of public life anyone who cannot show proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19. You’ll find more details of how different sectors are affected below.

Shops
If you haven’t been vaccinated or recovered (2G – geimpft (vaccinated) or genesen (recovered)) from Covid-19, then you can only go into shops for essential supplies, i.e. food shopping in supermarkets or to drugstores and pharmacies.

Many – but not all – of the rules for shopping are the same as those passed in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg in order to avoid promoting ‘shopping tourism’ with different restrictions in different states.

Leisure
2G applies here, too, as well as the requirement to wear a mask with most places now no longer accepting a negative test for entry. Only minors are exempt from this requirement.

Sport, culture, clubs
Indoor sports halls will off-limits to anyone who hasn’t  been vaccinated or can’t show proof of recovery from Covid-19. 2G is also in force for cultural events, such as plays and concerts, where there’s also a requirement to wear a mask. 

In places where mask-wearing isn’t possible, such as dance clubs, then a negative test and social distancing are required (capacity is capped at 50 percent of the maximum).

Restaurants, bars, pubs (indoors)
You have to wear a mask in all of these places when you come in, leave or move around. You can only take your mask off while you’re sat down. 2G rules also apply here.

Hotels and other types of accommodation 
Restrictions are tougher here, too, with 2G now in force. This means that unvaccinated people can no longer get a room, even if they have a negative test.

Hairdressers
For close-contact services, such as hairdressers and beauticians, it’s up to the service providers themselves to decide whether they require customers to wear masks or a negative test.

Football matches and other large-scale events
Rules have changed here, too. From December 1st, capacity will be limited to 5,000 people plus 50 percent of the total potential stadium or arena capacity. And only those who’ve been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 will be allowed in. Masks are also compulsory.

For the Olympic Stadium, this means capacity will be capped at 42,000 spectators and 16,000 for the Alte Försterei stadium. 

Transport
3G rules – ie vaccinated, recovered or a negative test – still apply on the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses in Berlin. It was not possible to tighten restrictions, Matz said, as the regulations were issued at national level.

According to the German Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, people have to wear a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask  on public transport.

Christmas markets
The Senate currently has no plans to cancel the capital’s Christmas markets, some of which have been open since Monday. 

According to Matz, 2G rules apply and wearing a mask is compulsory.

Schools and day-care
Pupils will still have to take Covid tests three times a week and, in classes where there are at least two children who test positive in the rapid antigen tests, then tests should be carried out daily for a week.  

Unlike in Brandenburg, there are currently no plans to move away from face-to-face teaching. The child-friendly ‘lollipop’ Covid tests will be made compulsory in day-care centres and parents will be required to confirm that the tests have been carried out. Day-care staff have to document the results.

What about vaccination centres?
Berlin wants to expand these and set up new ones, according to Matz. A new vaccination centre should open in the Ring centre at the end of the week and 50 soldiers from the German army have been helping at the vaccination centre at the Exhibition Centre each day since last week.

The capacity in the new vaccination centre in the Lindencenter in Lichtenberg is expected to be doubled. There are also additional vaccination appointments so that people can get their jabs more quickly. Currently, all appointments are fully booked well into the new year.

 

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