The Bundesliga will return on May 22 at the earliest after Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted on a two-week quarantine for all clubs.

It had been hoped the Bundesliga would return on May 15, but German press agency DPA reports the Government has now insisted all top-flight clubs must isolate for 14 days before the league can resume.

The period of isolation could be undertaken within specialised training camps, as players get up to speed ahead of a return to action.

Germany's top league - which was suspended in mid-March - is set to become the first of Europe's top five leagues to initiate a restart since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic; matches will be played behind closed doors as expected.

While neighbours France and Portugal have already terminated their respective leagues, there have been significantly fewer reported deaths in Germany, while testing capabilities have been relatively high from the onset.

On Monday, the German Football League revealed 1,724 tests had been carried out on players and staff between the top two tiers of football.

Ten positive tests were reported, and in a second round of testing three staff members from second division side Erzgebirge Aue tested positive, leading to the entire squad being placed into self-isolation.

With the Bundesliga set to return the final nine games of the season can now be played. Bayern Munich sit four points clear of Borussia Dortmund in first place as things stand.

Bayer Leverkusen are also just two points behind Borussia Monchengladbach in fourth, while a fight to beat the drop also remains, just four points separating Werder Bremen and Fortuna Dusseldorf in 15th and 16th respectively.