Changes for the 2018/19 season
The FC Bayern players are one week into their pre-season preparations, with the new campaign on the horizon. Alongside great football, sold-out stadiums and hopefully a trophy or two, there are some changes in store this season for players and fans of the record champions. fcbayern.com has rounded up the most important of them:
DFL allowing technical aids in the dugout
Headsets and tablets, like those seen at this summer’s World Cup in Russia, will also be allowed in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 as of this season. The DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga) has allowed the use of technical aids and electronic communication for coaching and tactical purposes, whereby team officials can communicate with, among others, a member of their staff in the stands or receive the data generated on their players by their electronic performance and recording system.
The technology can also be used for medical purposes, allowing medical staff on the pitch to make quick diagnoses on injuries and communicate with colleagues on the touchline. The number of mobile devices will be limited to three per team.
New kick-off times and rule changes in the Champions League
Fans will have to get used to new kick-off times in Europe’s premier club competition this season:
UEFA Champions League play-offs, group-stage games, round of 16 matches, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final will kick off at 21:00CET. However, on every group-stage matchday, two of the Tuesday and two of the Wednesday matches will kick off at 18:55CET. All fixtures on the last matchday will be played simultaneously. Exceptions to this rule can be made by the UEFA administration.
There are also new rules in place for the knockout stage onwards. If a knockout tie goes to extra-time, teams will be able to make one additional substitution. Exceptionally for the final, 23 players can be included in the matchday squad (instead of the usual 18), allowing 12 substitutes (instead of seven) to sit on the bench.
Bundesliga changing match ball supplier
From the 2018/19 season, Derbystar will replace Adidas as the official match ball supplier in Germany’s top two divisions. The new ball, which features the Derbystar and Bundesliga logos, will be used for the first time in the Super Cup between DFB Cup winners Eintracht Frankfurt and champions Bayern (12 August).