Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus has said that he does not feel that he is part of an experiment as the Bundesliga prepares for its grand return on Saturday.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen the game stopped around much of the world for the last two months, but having navigated the crisis more effectively than many of its European neighbours, Germany, which has seen over 8,000 deaths, is preparing to open its doors to professional sport once more.
Reus says that he feels good to be heading back onto the field but has warned that caution must still be exercised in the circumstances, with more than 175,000 people in the country having tested positive for the virus.
“Players are no lab rats that are tested,” he told El Pais before going on to discuss the fact that matches will, initially, be played in empty stadiums.
“It was the only possibility. There’s no reason to complain. But we need the Yellow Wall very much. Anyone who has been to the Westfalenstadion knows what powers our fans can unleash with us.
“The virus has turned out lives upside down. The whole world has been and will continue to be challenged. We must not become careless now. We have to listen to the instructions of the politicians and the virologists responsibly.”
Meanwhile, the Germany international has set his sights on chasing down Bayern Munich at the summit of the table.
“We’re four points behind them and still have to play against them. I want to win the league this year and the chance is still there, despite all the problems,” he said.
Following a derby meeting with Schalke on Saturday, Lucien Favre’s side face Wolfsburg away from home then will tackle Bayern on matchday 28 in the Ruhr Valley.
“We can put them under pressure with a win in a fortnight,” he emphasised.
Reus faces a fight against time to be fit for the big clash against FCB, with the midfielder set to miss out on the resumption of hostilities because of a muscular injury he suffered in February.