'Footballer Boyata Denies Kissing Teammate as Bundesliga Returns with New Coronavirus Rules'

Hertha Berlin defender, Dedryck Boyata, has denied kissing his teammate Marko Grujic after a photograph showed them in close proximity during Hertha Berlin’s 3-0 win against Hoffenheim over the weekend.

Over the weekend, the Bundesliga resumed, becoming the first major European league to do so since the suspension of the 2019-20 season in March due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

New rules were implemented, including substitutes wearing masks and sitting significant distances away from each other, as well as social distancing during celebrations. However, Boyata, after a goal, appeared to kiss Grujic on the cheek.

Responding to the criticism, he defended himself, stating that he was giving his teammate an instruction.

“It wasn’t a kiss, neither a celebration,” he wrote, accompanying a video of the incident. “I apologize for putting my hands on @grujicmarko’s face. I was giving him instructions about a set-piece,” Boyata posted on his Instagram live.

“We must definitely be careful now that we play under this situation. We have to adapt our way to play or celebrate.”

The German Football League (DFL) has now responded to the incident, especially as another team, Borussia Monchengladbach, were involved in another controversy as players hugged after scoring twice early in their 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt during the weekend.

The DFL stated that it will not penalize players for celebrating, but the state minister for Bavaria, Markus Soder, emphasized the need to enforce the rules.

“Football has an important function as a role model, so we should adhere to our instructions and pay attention to it next week,” he told Sport 1. “The players must also adhere to the rules.”