The Bundesliga have opted to restart games from May 16th onwards, with both the first and second divisions expected to complete their seasons behind closed doors.

It will be the first major European league to restart, with the likes of France, the Netherlands and Belgium having already decided to end their campaigns prematurely.

So what implications, if any, will the Bundesliga’s decision have on the Premier League restarting, and consequently, on Liverpool’s chances of winning the title on the pitch?

One of the key differences is the fact that Germany is well ahead of the UK in terms of reducing restrictions. Infection rates have gone below 1000 a day, leading to shops to reopen across the country.

It means the lower risk of catching the virus allows for resources to be pooled back towards getting professional sport back up and running. It may take a while longer before Britain is in a similar position.

There is some speculation that the government will ease the lockdown on Monday, but the chances of football returning before mid-June is highly unlikely. So the Bundesliga could have had a month of action before English football gets back going.

The major concern will be over player health. There has been a lot of moralising over whether footballers should return considering it is is still unsafe. It must be pointed out, though, that until a vaccine is in place, this will be the same in all businesses and industries.

Such a vaccine is a long way away, with the beginning of next year the earliest predicted time for one to become available. That means football would have to start next season under the same conditions unless authorities decide to wait until 2021 to return.

With that being the case, all eyes will be on how the Bundesliga copes. 1724 tests on players have already been conducted, with ten positive results having been returned. Making sure there are sufficient testing kits, combined with ensuring players are protected from infection will be a central component of keeping the league going.

For the Premier League, they will want to see how the German authorities are able to manage the problem. If they are successful, they will likely copy the plans for ‘Project Restart’ and Liverpool will be hoping that they can complete the season on the pitch in the coming months.

It will not be the way the Reds would have wanted to lift their first league title in 30 years, but if the Bundesliga can prove there is a way to continue playing through the global crisis, it would be far more preferable than a decision being made in a boardroom.