Germany: Top flight football returned to Europe on Saturday as the German Bundesliga became the first of the 'big five' leagues to get going again amid the coronavirus pandemic, albeit in unfamiliar circumstances.
Bundesliga was suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The season kicked off on Saturday with Dortmund locking horns with Schalke behind closed doors.
There were no fans in the grounds and new rules allowing as many as five substitutions per team.
Players wore face masks in the dressing rooms and during the warm-up and social distancing was observed on the benches.
On the pitch though, RB Leipzig lost ground in the title race after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by mid-table Freiburg on Saturday.
Manuel Gulde gave the visitors a 34th minute lead, cancelled out by Yussuf Poulsen's header thirteen minutes from time.
However, it might have been worse for Leipzig - Freiburg thought they had snatched a stoppage time winner, but Robin Koch's effort was disallowed by VAR (Video Assistant Referee) for a narrow offside infringement.
Leipzig dropped down to fourth place after Borussia Monchengladbach sprang out of their blocks at Eintracht Frankfurt and ran out 3-1 winners.
Alassane Plea opened the scoring after just 37 seconds and the visitors were two up inside seven minutes when Ramy Bensebaini set up Marcus Thuram.
Bensebaini scored from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute before Portugal forward Andre Silva hit a consolation for Frankfurt.
Earlier in the day, Borussia Dortmund thrashed FC Schalke 4-0 in a one-sided affair.
The 4-0 win also marked Dortmund's 800th Bundesliga victory.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich currently sits atop with 17 wins in 25 matches whilst Dortmund is at the second position. Schalke who had only nine wins this season is at the eighth position.
