By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Bundesliga is preparing to quarantine all its 18 teams over the last three weeks of the 2020-21 season.

To avoid further COVID-19 infections and ensure an orderly end to the season, the league association DFL is expected to introduce mandatory isolation for all clubs for the last three matches on May 7, 15 and 22.

Several infections in the second division and at first-tier Hertha BSC have forced the league to react. CEO Christian Seifert said, "It's not 5 minutes to 12; it's 3 minutes to 12," adding that the measures will be taken up until the season finishes at the end of May.

Seifert ruled out an early end to the season but added, "we have to finish in May as we face the European Championship in June with our clubs having to assign players for internationals."

The early exit of German clubs in the Champions League and Europa League gives space for further options to hold fixtures.

Several Bundesliga clubs are in favor of a general quarantine across the whole league.

Lately, the number of infections among football clubs has reached a new high.

Second division sides SV Sandhausen, Holstein Kiel and Karlsruher SC have quarantined several players after coaching staff members tested positive.

Concerns also increased after several positive tests in Berlin.

The association is considering making the teams keep their players in a bubble at training camps until the last day of the season.

The situation at Hertha has plunged the Bundesliga into fixture difficulties. Hertha's encounters against Mainz, Arminia Bielefeld and Union Berlin had to be postponed.

The capital outfit will return to regular training only after April 30.

The earliest date of their first game after quarantine and home training sessions will be May 3. Regulations allow the affected club to have three to four days of regular training in advance of competitive matches.

What complicates matters is not only that Hertha has to play six games in 21 days, but also the club's relegation troubles.

Pal Dardai's team finds itself in the middle of a relegation battle, with all three postponed games against relegation rivals.

Hertha and the association tried to ease concerns speaking of possible distortion of competition for Hertha and the affected clubs.

Hertha, meanwhile, has set up home training sessions for its players.

Sporting director Arne Friedrich spoke of an extraordinary mental and physical challenge "as we have to return having lost fitness but still need to have a competitive level."

Friedrich spoke about "an experiment" with uncertain outcomes.

Berlin chairman Carsten Schmidt said Hertha hasn't given up yet in its struggle to stay in the first division. "I feel a lot of anger about the situation, but I haven't heard anyone wanting to give up. We will come back and face a challenge no one expected to face."

Despite Hertha's optimism, Dynamo Dresden's example is a cautionary tale. Last season the side lost their relegation battle in the second tier, playing seven games in 19 days after a 14-day quarantine when they could only train on exercise bikes.

"It felt like preparation for the Tour de France, but was far from what we needed for competitive football," Dresden coach Markus Kauczinski complained. Enditem

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