The German Bundesliga will no longer restart on 9 May after the government postponed its decision to ratify the league’s restart by a week.

Clubs have already returned to training as the league in anticipation of resuming the league which was suspended as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

But the decision of when the Bundesliga will return has now been delayed until Wednesday next week meaning there won’t be a return to action until at least 16 May.

German authorities are worried that clubs may cause a second wave of coronavirus infections if restrictions are eased.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “We have achieved so much, but we are not out of the woods yet, and we cannot gamble it all away.”

Part of the Bundesliga resumption plans includes weekly Covid-19 tests for all professionals, players travelling to matches on separate buses and being banned from having sex if they or their partner show symptoms.

For the match itself, the two sets of teams will not come out of the tunnel together nor will they have mascots or handshakes.

A maximum of 322 people will be allowed in the ground at any time including four police officers, 10 journalists and four ball kids during matches.

The German Football League is determined to finish the season as planned – rather than declaring it null and void.

However, leagues in Belgium, Holland and France have been cancelled as a result of the pandemic and UEFA issued a 25 May ultimatum for member countries to make clear their plans for concluding the season.