Jose Mourinho strongly defended his record of getting the best from top strikers on Monday after criticism the Portuguese manager s style could see Harry Kane look for pastures new. Kane played his first game for six months in Tottenham s 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Friday, but failed to get a single touch in the opposition box. Mourinho s tactics were again in the spotlight as Spurs tried to hold onto a 1-0 lead for most of the second half before Bruno Fernandes s penalty secured a point for United. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson said he "worried" for Kane under Mourinho and a lack of trophies could also force the England captain to move on. Mourinho addressed Merson personally during a videoconference ahead of Tuesday s clash with West Ham and reeled off a list of statistics detailing the scoring rates of Didier Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Diego Milito and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his time in charge of Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. Kane scored seven goals in 10 games following Mourinho s appointment before tearing his hamstring on New Year s Day. "Harry Kane has no problems at all to score goals in my team," said Mourinho. "Especially when he is fit, when is fresh, when he has routines of playing that s my message to somebody." Mourinho was also criticised for leaving a visibly tiring Kane on the field for the full 90 minutes last week. Spurs wilted in the final quarter as Mourinho made just two of five allotted substitution compared with United s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who used his full complement. Mourinho bemoaned his lack of options from the bench, with Dele Alli suspended and Lucas Moura injured. Alli and Lucas will be available for selection against West Ham and Mourinho is looking forward to having six attacking players to choose from for the first time as Tottenham boss. "(Steven) Bergwijn and (Erik) Lamela, Lucas and Son (Heung-min), Dele and Harry, six attacking players, all different, all very good and it is the first time I have all of them available, which is the kind of problem which we coaches love."

Ahly winger Hussein El-Shahat will not be playing for at least two months after undergoing a hernia surgery on Sunday. The player s brother posted a picture of him online before heading into surgery, which will force him to rest for weeks before resuming full training. The 28-year-old winger had been struggling with his injury since February, but the operation was postponed first due to Ahly s matches in the CAF Champions League then the coronavirus outbreak, which has put much pressure on the health system since March. El-Shahat joined the Red Devils in January 2019 from UAE side Al-Ain for a reported fee of $5 million, making him the most expensive signing by an Egyptian club. He made an immediate impact with the club, leading them to the 2019 Egyptian Premier League title and on verge of defending their title following a whopping 16-point lead at the top. However, he has been struggling with his fitness this season, failing to live up to expectations. Egypt’s government has given the green light for clubs to resume training starting 20 June. The Egyptian FA has set 25 July as an initial date to resume the league, which is only halfway through the season.

Gennaro Gattuso hailed the God of football after he lifted his first coaching trophy as Napoli beat Juventus 4-2 on penalties to win the Italian Cup for the sixth time on Wednesday. The final had ended 0-0 in an empty Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Paulo Dybala and Danilo both missed their spot-kicks for record 13-times Italian Cup champions Juventus with Arkadiusz Milik slotting in the winner for Napoli past veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon. It is the first trophy for the southerners since 2014, and also a maiden coaching trophy for Gattuso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti in December. For former Italy World Cup winner Gattuso his first coaching success comes after the death of his 37-year-old sister Francesca from a rare illness. "In life you cannot accept some things, but football has given me a lot and a great passion," said the 42-year-old former AC Milan great. "I feel I have a great responsibility. I know I cannot give up and I have never done in my career. "I saw a team tonight that wanted to win, we deserved it. "There s a God of football, who makes you reap all that you ve sown. "I am proud of what my lads have done. Now we must continue with this spirit also in the championship, to recover the disadvantage." Napoli have been reborn under Gattuso and are now sixth in the league table as they target the Champions League places when Serie A returns this weekend after a three-month absence due to the coronavirus. But the defeat was a worrying sign for Maurizio Sarri s Juventus, who also lost the Italian SuperCup final last December to Lazio. The 61-year-old former Napoli coach had also been chasing his first coaching trophy in Italy, and second in his career after leading Chelsea to the Europa League last season. "There is disappointment for the lads, for the club, for the fans," said Sarri. "At this moment we lack brilliance to make the game dangerous, and without that brilliance, it becomes more difficult." - Ronaldo lacking sharpness - The final was played behind closed doors, in the silence of Rome s Stadio Olimpico which should have hosted Italy versus Switzerland in Euro 2020 on June 17. Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo missed a chance to break the deadlock after five minutes, having also missed a penalty in a goalless semi-final, second leg match against AC Milan last weekend. "It s unusual two 0-0 draws for us but that just shows the lack of sharpness after such a long break," said Sarri. "Ronaldo s in the same shape as the others, like Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa, he is lacking the sharpness to do what works best for him." Napoli had the best chances of the first half with Lorenzo Insigne s curling effort denied and Buffon clearing Diego Demme from close range. Buffon pulled off a last-minute save on Nikola Maksimovic to send the game into penalties with extra-time scrapped to minimise injuries after the coronavirus shutdown. Sarri said he hoped the players would now "put the anger and hunger from this disappointment" into their Serie A challenge with the eight-time reigning champions just one point ahead of second-placed Lazio in the table.

Supporters must be consulted over their return to stadiums but also football s current model which is "flawed, unfair and unsustainable", a collective of 27 national fan organisations across Europe said Wednesday. The resumption of leagues behind closed doors following the coronavirus shutdown has demonstrated "fans are the lifeblood of the game", said Football Supporters Europe (FSE), a grass-roots network of fans across the continent. "It is therefore more important now than ever for supporters to be included in discussions that will determine the immediate and long-term future of the game." Among the statement s signatories were major supporters groups from England, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, who all urged "multi-stakeholder dialogue" on the game s long-term future. "The coronavirus crisis has yet again shown that the current model of football is flawed, unfair, and unsustainable," it read. "Football needs to change dramatically. Any reform process must include fan representatives, on local, national, and European level. "Fans must be engaged and involved in decisions that relate to the wider future of the game, including the necessary overhaul of governance structures and financial regulations." The statement also called for the safe return of spectators to be "accompanied by a meaningful consultation with fans representatives at every level of the game on health safety protocols." Broadcasters have attempted to compensate for the absence of supporters by adding crowd sounds and chants to hide the drab atmosphere, efforts described by FSE as a "rebuke to match-going fans". "We have significant concerns regarding attempts by broadcasters to replace or imitate the unique atmosphere produced by fans." "There can be no return to normal," it concluded. "Lasting change is needed to make the game sustainable from top to bottom, and fans stand ready to play a part in shaping that change."

The world s top players, including Egypt s star winger Mohamed Salah, will see a decline of 13% in their market value due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to KPMG. The suspension of soccer leagues across Europe will see overall player value drop by 6.6 billion euros ($7.5 billion), or about 18%, in the transfer market, KPMG s global head of sports Andrea Sartori said on Tuesday.

Egyptian clubs could resume trainings starting from next Saturday 20 June, after been given the green light by the government on Monday. The Minister of Youth and Sport Ashraf Sobhi said in a press conference that the Egyptian Football Association may restart its competition starting from 25 July. More details soon …

After extending his stay with the Egyptian Premier League outfit Zamalek, French coach Patrice Carteron has expressed his pleasure with the new deal. "I am happy and proud of continuing with Zamalek as well as being a technical manager of the Whites players," Carteron told the club s television channel. Zamalek announced on Saturday that Carteron would remain in his post with the team for another season. The 49-year-old Carteron, who took charge of the Whites last December, helped Zamalek snatch the African Super Cup and Egyptian Super Cup titles and reach the African Champions League semi-finals. "Zamalek players are part of a big team with great supporters, those fans enjoyed great moments when we won two titles and we want to continue with the same strength," the Zamalek coach said. "I promise Zamalek fans to do my best to achieve more trophies," Carteron added.

Egypt s Minister of Sports and Youth Ashraf Sobhi said on Thursday that sports activities will likely resume in August. "Sports teams will start training in July," Sobhi told a television programme. "All sports halls will be sterilised by the end of June to be ready for hosting the trainings," he added. The cabinet announced on Thursday that sports clubs and youth centres will be allowed to accept members subscriptions from 15 to 30 June, provided they raise the efficiency of the facilities, and perform sterilisation procedures during that period. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) suspended all football activities on 15 March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but has not yet made an official decision regarding the future of the season.

Egyptian club Ittihad of Alexandria announced on Tuesday night it has reached agreement to renew the contract of coach Talaat Youssef for one year. “The board, headed by club president Mohamed Mosselhi, reached an agreement with coach Youssef to maintain his post in the coming season 2020/2021,” read a statement on the club s official website. The 65-year-old former Ittihad player Youssef, who started his managerial career in 1999, previously took charge of the Alexandria-based club on various occasions. He guided the team to deliver good performances in both the domestic league and the Arab Cup this season before the suspension of football activities in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Keeping Youssef as a coach will be a strong addition to the team in the next season. We are confident in our coach,” Mosselhi said after the renewal. Ahead of the current league suspension, Ittihad were at the fifth place of the league table with 27 points from 17 matches, 22 points behind leaders and holders Ahly.

Madrid s mayor has said Spanish capital is in talks about hosting this year s Champions League soccer final if organisers decide to move it from Istanbul due to the coronavirus crisis. European football s biggest game was scheduled to be played at Istanbul s Ataturk Stadium on May 30 until the competition was postponed at the last-16 stage in March due to the pandemic. "I know arrangements are being made, and I want to declare the city hall s absolute support for this Champions League final being held in Madrid," Tuesday s Marca newspaper quoted the city s mayor Jose Luis Martinez as telling network 13tv. No official announcement has been made about whether the re-arranged final will take place in Istanbul. A New York Times report last month said the showpiece event will not be held in the Turkish city and alternative venues were being considered. UEFA, which declined to comment on Almeida s remarks, said that a working group had been set up and "a variety of options" were being looked at, adding that an Executive Committee meeting on June 17 would provide more clarity. The final is likely to be held without spectators, as has been the case in the major European leagues such as the Bundesliga, which returned last month, and Spain s La Liga. Spain is among the worst affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic, recording more than 27,000 deaths. Madrid had the country s highest number of deaths and infections. But with the infection rate falling significantly, normal life is slowly resuming in Spain. "We have the adequate safety conditions, we have the infrastructure and public services to hold it and it would send a message to the world that despite all the drama we have lived, Madrid isn t giving up and is on the rise again," Almeida said.

Liverpool midfielder Harry Wilson has extended his loan agreement with Bournemouth to stay at the Vitality Stadium until the end of the season, the Premier League clubs said on Monday. Wilson’s initial deal was set to expire at the end of this month but, with the season extended due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bournemouth said the Wales winger will be available for the last nine games of the season. The 23-year-old has been one of the most influential members of Eddie Howe’s squad, scoring seven league goals in 23 appearances during his first year playing in the top flight. Bournemouth sit in 18th place — the final relegation place — but are level on points with Watford and West Ham United who are above them on goal difference. They restart their quest to avoid the drop at home to Crystal Palace on June 20.

Arsenal returned to action for the first time since the Premier League was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic as they beat Charlton Athletic 6-0 in a friendly at an empty Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Premier League clubs were this week given the all-clear to play friendlies ahead of the scheduled restart on June 17, following a three-month stoppage. Arsenal hosted second-tier Charlton behind closed doors and with officiating roles carried out by club staff. Alex Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored before halftime while academy graduate Eddie Nketiah grabbed a second-half hat-trick. Joe Willock was also on target. Arsenal, who are ninth in the standings, are away to Manchester City on June 17.

Bayern Munich s Germany defender Jerome Boateng has called on more famous white sportspeople to add their voices to the chorus of outrage at the US police killing of George Floyd. Floyd, a black American man, died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. His death has sparked eight days of protests in US cities, some of which have turned violent amid accusations of further police brutality used against demonstrators. It has also seen athletes, sports teams and leagues expressing solidarity with protesters demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality in the United States. "Our voices carry, we have a platform and we touch many people," Boateng, whose father is from Ghana, told Deutsche Welle radio on Thursday. "All white sportspeople who don t speak out are obviously not racists, but of course it is desirable that they also use their notoriety for this cause. Many do it, but I think we can do much more." Boateng added that a deeper message needed to be sent, beyond the world of social media. "You need to take things in hand, whether in the form of work with children, or in integration projects," he said. "That always depends on the parents and what they re teaching their children. "Also in schools, you need the issue of racism to be integrated in curriculum. It s only by doing that that we will progress."

The technical director of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Mahmoud Saad has tested negative for the coronavirus, the association announced on Wednesday. “Welcome back Dr. Mahmoud Saad. We hope a speedy recovery for all coronavirus patients,” reads a short statement on the EFA’s official facebook page. On Thursday, the EFA announced that the former Zamalek star Saad contracted the virus after coming into direct contact with a number of positive cases that arrived in Egypt. Earlier on May, Egyptian goalkeeping coach Mohamed Abdo, who was working at third-division club Badr, died after contracting the coronavirus. Football activities in Egypt have been suspended since mid-March over the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. Egyptian football clubs had already halted training, asking players to stay fit at home until further notice. According to the latest health ministry statement issued on Tuesday, Egypt registered 1152 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to o 27,536 cases and the death toll to 1,052 nationwide.

The Egyptian Football Association chairman Amr El-Ganainy has said that there are no intentions to announce Ahly champion of the current premier league season. “There are still 17 rounds that haven’t been played, and there are teams who have played less matches, so the situation is very hard, and the idea of crowning a particular team is excluded,” El-Ganainy told ON Sport radio station. “Everyone speaks out of their own interests only, while we seek what is best for Egyptian football,” he added. Defending champions Ahly are the overwhelming favourites to win a fifth straight title as they top the table with 49 points, 16 ahead of the nearest challengers Arab Contractors, who have played one game more than Ahly. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) suspended all footballing activities on 15 March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but has not yet made an official decision regarding the future of the season. El-Ganainy was announced by FIFA as the head of the normalisation committee to direct football in Egypt following the resignation of the EFA board members after the Pharaohs’ early elimination from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Egypt. El-Ganainy said that there is a 50 percent chance of resuming the local competitions, as each EFA committee has issued full reports which correspond with FIFA’s instructions, and is waiting for directions from the government. “We are preparing many scenarios, but the fate of the current season is 100 percent the Egyptian government’s decision,” El-Ganainy explained. When asked about whether he wishes to see the resumption of the season, he said that resuming the football competition would be his biggest success as EFA head, but football activity cannot return without strong medical precautions. “We all know that the clubs and the national teams have a busy agenda for the next season, and there will come a time when we won’t be able to extend the season anymore, as the upcoming season has to be finished by 1 June to provide the U-23 national team enough time to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for June 2021,” he said. “One of the scenarios to resume the premier league is each team will play two matches per week, while the Egypt Cup will be held without risk as the danger of playing nine matches is much less than playing 147 matches,” El-Ganainy explained. The government has launched a three-phase plan to see suspended facilities re-open under new safety measures, such as mandatory mask-wearing, with officials saying it is necessary for the country to “coexist” with the virus. According to the latest health ministry statement, Egypt registered 1,399 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total to 26,384 cases, with a death toll of 1,005 nationwide.

Ahly s Nigerian forward Junior Ajayi announced Monday that he hopes to face rivals Zamalek in the CAF Champions League final as the two sides had met before and know each other well. All African sports activities have been suspended over the coronavirus crisis, including the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, which were originally scheduled to be played on 1 May. Egypt’s big names Ahly and Zamalek were set to play Champions League semi-finals against Moroccan sides Wydad de Casablanca and Raja de Casablanca respectively. "If I had the decision, I would prefer to face Wydad de Casablanca in the Champions League semifinal, as we met them before and we know how they play," Ajayi told a television programme early on Monday. "In the Champions League final, I prefer to face Zamalek for the same reason, a team we know well," the Nigerian star added. "I think playing the Champions League final with one game, not home and away, is the best choice," Ajayi said. Ajayi, who established himself as a key figure in Ahly’s squad, helped the Cairo giants to two league titles in 2017 and 2018, a Super Cup in 2018 and reaching the final of the African Champions League twice in 2017 and 2018. Early last month, Confederation of African Football President Ahmad Ahmad said that he was contact with all African confederations amid the coronavirus crisis to determine the situation of the Champions League and Confederation Cup tournaments. "We have to wait. As president of the CAF, I personally call on everyone to be very careful and wait for the situation to normalise," Ahmad told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. "At that time, we can eventually resume competitions. I do not want football to be a source of destabilisation of the measures taken by the various governments to face this pandemic," he said.

The Premier League s planned restart on June 17 received a further boost on Saturday when the latest batch of novel coronavirus tests produced no positive results. The tests were carried out on Thursday and Friday. "The Premier League can today confirm that on Thursday 28 May and Friday 29 May, 1,130 players and club staff were tested for COVID-19. Of these, zero have tested positive," the league said in a statement https://www.premierleague.com/news/1670563. In the three previous rounds of testing since players resumed training there were 12 positives. No Premier League matches have been played since March but the league said on Thursday that the season will restart on June 17 provided all safety requirements have been met. Earlier on Saturday the government gave the green light for the resumption of elite sport in England from Monday, provided that strict safety guidelines outlined in its Stage Three protocol were adhered to. The Premier League s Chief Executive Richard Masters said he welcomed the government s announcement but said there was still work to be done to "ensure the safety of everyone involved". "All major sports, including the Premier League, have been working together with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to produce this Stage Three protocol," he said. "We could not have reached this point without the full support of the Government, especially DCMS, Public Health England and the Chief Medical Officer s team. "If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019/20 season in just over two weeks time." There are 92 fixtures remaining, all of which will be played without fans, although the Premier League said every game will be broadcast live in the UK by its existing broadcast partners: Sky Sports, BT Sport, BBC Sport and Amazon Prime. The Premier League had reached an agreement for a "significant proportion" of its remaining matches to be made available for live broadcast on free-to-air platforms, including for the first time BBC Sport.

Borussia Dortmund visit bottom side Paderborn on Sunday with uncertainty surrounding the future of coach Lucien Favre after Tuesday s 1-0 defeat by Bayern Munich left their Bundesliga title dreams in tatters. Favre and Dortmund were forced to deny rumours that he is set to resign, and face Paderborn attempting to at least keep some pressure on reigning champions Bayern, who sit seven points clear with six matches remaining. Second-placed Dortmund may also have to make do without Erling Braut Haaland, after the teenage sensation was injured against Bayern, reportedly in an accidental collision with the referee. Swiss Favre was forced to clarify comments made on Tuesday when he said he would "talk about it (his future) in a few weeks", saying the following day that he was not "giving up at all". Several German newspapers have suggested Favre is set to leave at the end of the season, with Niko Kovac, who was sacked by Bayern last year, reported to be his likely successor. "We are certainly not having a coaching debate," Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc insisted to Sport1. "Lucien must have expressed himself misleadingly in a moment immediately after the game." Barring an unlikely late-season collapse from Bayern, it will be the second straight season that Favre s Dortmund have pushed their rivals close in the title race before ultimately coming up short. Dortmund led for much of the campaign last term but stumbled late to finish two points off the pace. "We said before the season that we wanted to play for the title again," added Zorc. "We didn t manage to be better than Bayern. Now we can be disappointed, take a deep breath, and then set a new goal for Sunday. Full focus is on second place." Dortmund will be confident of getting back on track against a Paderborn side who are rooted to the foot of the table, eight points adrift of the relegation play-off spot, despite three consecutive draws since the Bundesliga resumed following the coronavirus lockdown. "We mustn t talk of a miracle because there are still 18 points to be won," said Paderborn coach Steffen Baumgart. "As long as it s still mathematically possible we have to give it everything we ve got." - Bayern s big step - Bayern are now firmly on track for a record-extending eighth straight title and on Saturday host a Fortuna Duesseldorf side who boosted their survival hopes with a 2-1 midweek win against freefalling Schalke. "We set out to take a big step (against Dortmund). We succeeded. We showed a lot of determination," said Bayern coach Hansi Flick. Duesseldorf, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, are five points clear of second-bottom Werder Bremen, although the four-time Bundesliga champions have a game in hand. Bremen, who have only spent one season out of the top flight since the Bundesliga s formation in 1963, visit Schalke on Saturday. Schalke coach David Wagner is under pressure after his side threw away their European hopes with a 10-match winless run, including three straight defeats since the restart of the season. Player to watch: Jadon Sancho -- Dortmund will need Jadon Sancho to be back at his best on Sunday, with Haaland s injury leaving them without a recognised out-and-out striker. English winger Sancho is yet to start a game since the restart after his own fitness problems, but has featured as a subsitute in all three matches. The 20-year-old has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season. Key stats 5 - Home wins in the 27 matches behind closed doors since the league returned. 5 - Shots by Haaland without scoring against Bayern. He had previously scored 10 goals from 21 attempts on goal in the Bundesliga. 45 - Goals in Bayer Leverkusen s last 11 league matches, an average of 4.09 goals per game. Fixtures Friday (all times GMT) Freiburg v Bayer Leverkusen (1830) Saturday Hertha Berlin v Augsburg, Mainz v Hoffenheim, Schalke v Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (1330), Bayern Munich v Fortuna Duesseldorf (1630) Sunday Borussia Moenchengladbach v Union Berlin (1330), Paderborn v Borussia Dortmund (1600)

Premier League clubs voted unanimously on Wednesday to resume contact training as "Project Restart" took a huge step forwards. "Premier League shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so," the league said in a statement. "Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact." It added: "Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow." The Premier League was put on hold in March due to the coronavirus. Clubs returned to training in small and socially distanced groups last week ahead of a proposed restart in June.

If the current domestic league season is cancelled, no team will win the league and there will be no relegations, Egyptian Football Association Vice President Gamal Mohamed said on Tuesday. “The number of the remaining matches is very large, and the point difference between the top teams is not settled yet, as well as in the relegation zone,” Mohamed was quoted as saying by Al-Ahram newspaper. The Egyptian Premier League was suspended in March due to the coronavirus; almost 150 matches are left to play, following the 17th matchday of the 34-match season. “The regulations don t include any clauses related to deciding the champion in the case of the season being called off. So in this situation there will be no champion nor relegated teams,” he added. Defending champions Ahly are overwhelming favourites to win a fifth straight title. They top the table with 49 points, 16 ahead of nearest challengers Arab Contractors, who have played one game more than Ahly. Ahly have voiced support for resuming the competition to preserve the “sporting and financial rights” of clubs. Several countries have cancelled their footballing seasons amid the pandemic, and in many cases, including in France, Belgium, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have awarded the title to the leading team. The EFA vice president said previously that football activity could resume in Egypt by mid-July, in accordance with the government’s plan to ease the restrictions it has implemented to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Egypt has re-opened courts and some government offices, and hotels have been allowed to re-open to new guests at reduced capacity, as part of a plan that the government says will see the country “coexist” with the virus. More re-openings are planned, but football officials were not given information on if or when they could restart the league. Clubs have also halted training sessions amid the coronavirus, asking players to stay fit at home until further notice. Egypt has almost 18,000 confirmed cases of the viral disease so far, with over 700 deaths.

Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick says the absence of spectators for Tuesday s top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash at Borussia Dortmund will be a "missing factor". Reigning champions Bayern thrashed second-placed Dortmund 4-0 last November in front of 75,000 fans at the Allianz Arena. But the teams will meet again in Dortmund with the stands at Signal Iduna Park -- usually packed with 82,000 people -- empty after the Bundesliga became the first top European league to return, behind closed doors, following the coronavirus lockdown. "It is a very special game," Flick said on Monday, with Bayern heading to Dortmund with a four-point lead. "As a coach, there is no question that the fans are a missing factor." Ten of the 18 league games since the restart have been won by the away team. "The atmosphere can inspire any team. It is about how you can cope (without the support)," Flick added. "You have to accept the current situation and can t look for an excuse." Bayern have restarted were they left off in March, following up a 2-0 win at Union Berlin with a 5-2 hammering of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. But Flick thinks Tuesday s clash will be a completely different test compared to their victory over Dortmund at the Allianz Arena last year. "The conditions are very different compared to the first game," he said. "We ve also had a good run and every player is a little bit more motivated." Flick confirmed that midfielder Thiago Alcantara will miss out with injury, but Leon Goretzka will deputise again having impressed against Eintracht. Jerome Boateng is fit to play after shaking off a knock and is set to partner David Alaba at centre-back. That would mean no place in the starting line-up for Bayern s record signing Lucas Hernandez, who cost 80 million euros ($87 million) and is back after an ankle injury.