Bundesliga: Football without its fans

Around 13,000 cutouts filled the stands on Saturday as Borussia Mönchengladbach hosted Bayer Leverkusen in a Bundesliga game which could help decide Champions League qualification (Source: Reuters)

Even when German fans are stuck at home, they can still be seen in the stadium. (Source: AP)

Gladbach fans took pictures at home in a shirt or scarf and paid 19 euros ($20.70) to be turned into one of the “Pappkameraden” or “cardboard companions.” (Source: AP)

Borussia Moenchengladbac coach Marco Rose talks to the media after the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus (Source: Reuters)

Borussia Moenchengladbac's Yann Sommer and Bayer Leverkusen's Sven Bender talk to the media after the match (Source: Reuters)

Season-ticket holders have their cutout placed in their usual spot, though some fan groups denounced the idea. (Source: AP)

The cutouts didn’t do Gladbach much good on Saturday. Leverkusen won 3-1 to overtake Gladbach for third in the table, as Gladbach missed good chances to score late on. (Source: AP)

Not all of the real-life fans like their cutout counterparts. Some groups oppose continuing the season without spectators and feel the cutouts legitimize that. (Source: AP)