'Sadder than dancing with your sister'

Playing matches behind closed doors is "sadder than dancing with your sister", says Spain manager Luis Enrique.

Germany's Bundesliga became the first major European football league to restart after the coronavirus shutdown when it resumed over the weekend.

No fans are allowed, substitutes and coaches are spaced out at a distance on the bench, and players are not supposed to celebrate goals together.

"It's very ugly," said former Barcelona boss Enrique, 50.

"I watched the German football and it's lamentable. You can hear the insults and you lose the intimacy of the great moments."

Speaking to Spanish basketball show Colgados del Aro, Enrique added: "Playing matches without supporters is sadder than dancing with your sister."

However, the Spaniard said he understood why football has to be played behind closed doors with social distancing measures in place, and that it could help supporters currently in lockdown because of the pandemic.

"This is a global business that generates a lot of money and even though the spectacle is very different to when you play with people, it can help us pass the time during confinement and get through this," he added.

"If you are a fan of football or basketball, then watching a match is always interesting."

Source: BBC