With just three home wins from the opening 18 Bundesliga matches, another interesting conclusion can be drawn from the statistics. There appears to be no home advantage without any fans. One theory, which Werder will want to disprove with a home win against Mönchengladbach, just as Köln did against Fortuna Düsseldorf at the weekend, is that it’s not possible to mount a comeback without the emotional support of the fans. Markus Gisdol’s side managed to net a last-minute equaliser to steal a point in the derby. Nevertheless, Frank Baumann is firmly of the opinion that it’s harder for teams to come from behind without the support of the fans behind them.
One thing that can be proved statistically is the overall length of the game. Since the restart of the season, the average overall playing time has increased. “There are also less stoppages, the game seems less hectic,” says Baumann. Both among the players and in relation to the referee, says the sporting director, who believes that these trends may be confirmed over the coming weeks, despite the fact that the season is going to go down to the wire.
However, there is one thing that is simply not up for debate: the fans are missed. “To some extent this situation has already become normality; but a normality that no one wants,” says Baumann. “We love the sport so much because of how much emotion there is in the stadium,” the 44-year-old added. “That’s missing. We can’t complain about the situation, but it’s clear that we are looking forward to being able to play with fans again.”
