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FOOTBALL

Bundesliga may switch to summer and avoid mud

The sight of muddy German footballers running around in the rain could be over, as organizers are seriously considering swapping the season so they play in the summer and break in the winter when it's cold and wet.

Bundesliga may switch to summer and avoid mud
Photo: DPA

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and also chairman of the European Club Association, said on Tuesday the new model would see the season start in spring and finish before Christmas.

The fact that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be held during the winter due to weather conditions could present the perfect opportunity for the Europeans to switch their seasons around.

“The football family is united: [the World Cup in Qatar] will be played either in January and February or in October and November,” Rummenigge told Die Welt newspaper.

“I see a chance for the Bundesliga in this model.” The summer break would be abolished and matches would be more likely to be held in the sun than the snow.

“We don’t play football in Germany from May until August, although the best weather is to be found in these months,” he said. “Perhaps we should rather take a break when the weather is bad here. That could be an advantage.”

Germany trainer Joachim Löw has already said he would be in favour of such a change – bringing Germany into line with the Norwegian league which plays from March until November.

The Local/hc

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

https://twitter.com/GravesenFumado/status/1764242481984491822

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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