It took a while, but the German Bundesliga will be the first major European league to resume after the coronavirus break.
While everyone is looking for the big teams and the more-known stories, here are five things that Baba wants you to pay attention to.
Alphonso Davies is here
Many clubs decided to be careful with their long term actions, as the economic future is uncertain. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich decided to extend Alphonso Davies' contract for two more years until 2025. This decision will be worth it. The 19-year-old Canadian is still improving, and he is far from reaching his peak. Up until now, he made 21 league appearances and scored a single goal, but the reigning Bundesliga champions are well aware that he can do much more in the future.
Alphonso Davies is just one among many in a young and talented generation of footballers in Canada. Next summer he will have a chance to play for the national team in the Gold Cup. Before that, his mission is to keep his progress in Bayern Munich.
The East vs West derby in Berlin
The main match of the weekend in the Bundesliga will be the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04, but the real action is scheduled next week - the Berlin derby between Hertha and Union. In November, when Union hosted the first match, we got a tremendous atmosphere. Union dramatically won 1-0 after a successful penalty by Sebastian Polter in the 90th minute.
It's not just the derby itself that makes it interesting, but also the difference between West Berlin and East Berlin. While BFC Dynamo is currently playing at the Regionalliga, Union Berlin is the leading club from the Eastern side of the city. The fireworks from the first match in the Stadion An der Alten Försterei would not be part of the game this time, but it is still important for the city's glory.
Rami Bensebaini’s North African spirit
We tend to see more Algerian born international players in recent years, and Bensebaini is one of them. The centre-back made a great season in 2019, being an essential part in Rennes. In the summer, he won the African Cup of Nations with Algeria. For Borussia Mönchengladbach, it was enough in order to sign him for €8m.
Borussia Mönchengladbach is currently holding one of the best defensive records in the league. Bensebaini is a part of it, but he earned his reputation in Germany after a sensational brace in December when his team defeated Bayern Munich 2-1. After the break, the Algerian would like to make 2020 as good as 2019.
Munas Dabbur looks for a real-life challenge
This season could be disastrous for Munas Dabbur. He began as a Sevilla player but barely played in Andalusia. In the winter transfer window, he moved to Hoffenheim. Dabbur wanted to prove Sevilla's mistake for letting him go, but unfortunately he got injured. If the league was played as usual, he shouldn't have recovered before the end of the season.
During the break, Dabbur became the main superstar of his club - but in virtual life. He played on FIFA e-sport tournaments, representing both Hoffenheim and Israel, and won time after time. He is also back in real-life training and is supposed to play for the club in the final matches. Now, after everyone knows him for his FIFA skills, it's his time to shine in real matches.
Claudio Pizarro wants a grand finale
It seems as if the Peruvian has always played in the Bundesliga. He is 41 years old and ranked in 6th place in the all-time Bundesliga top scorers list with 197 goals. Two years ago, he returned to Werder Bremen, the first club he played for in Germany back in 1999.
He may retire at the end of the season, but has one last mission – to save Werder Bremen from relegation. The club is currently in 17th place, 8 points away from safety. Since the Bundesliga’s establishment, Werder played only one season in the second division, back in 1981. Pizarro will miss the first few matches, but could he help Werder Bremen before it would be too late?
