Angela Merkel urged Germans to heed the stringent confinement measures imposed this week as the number of infections soared over 11,000 today, including 28 deaths.

Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel will quarantine herself at home after being treated by a doctor who has since tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig is carrying out blood tests in order to identify antibodies associated with Covid-19 (pictured, medics treat a patient in Hamburg).

Angela Merkel's government wants to test all suspected cases in Germany and the entire circle of people who have come into contact with a confirmed patient.

Germany has begun reopening schools and non-essential shops while Spain has announced children will be allowed out of the house as lockdowns ease, as their leaders urged caution.

Clubs in the German top flight have returned to training in the hope that the rest of the season can be finished off - providing Chancellor Angela Merkel gives the green light for action to resume.

Germany has eased some lockdown measures but is seeing a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases, with infections rising for the fifth day in a row. Pictured: Graph of Covid-19 cases in Germany.

Germany 's number of coronavirus cases has dropped following five days of rising infections after the government eased the country's lockdown measures earlier this week.

Social distancing was the first lesson on the timetable in Dortmund this morning where pupils lined up at 5ft intervals in the playground.

While he did not inexplicably name Nazi Germany, it was clear that Chris Matthews was equating the Democratic establishment to the French during World War II.

Abdul Mobin D, who stabbed ex Mia V to death, was found hanged in his cell at a juvenile prison in Schifferstadt, Germany, early on Thursday, though authorities said they have not found a suicide note.

The 24-year-old forward is one of the hottest prospects in Europe following impressive performances for the Bundesliga side. He has been heavily linked with a move to England.

At the daily No10 briefing this evening, Dominic Raab pointed to the experience in Germany as he warned that easing the draconian restrictions too early risks 'undoing all the hard work'.

For four years we have been treated to something special. It was as though their football was from another planet. But I sat in the Nou Camp and watched Bayern Munich complete a staggering 7-0 aggregate victory over Barcelona.

Germany's foreign minister Andreas Michaelis has revealed that the country has 40,000 intensive care beds, 30,000 of which could be used with ventilators.

Glenn Hoddle says he's not surprised by Brazil's utter capitulation in Tuesday's humiliating 7-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany.

World Cup-winning captain Cafu has sensationally claimed that he was thrown out of the Brazil dressing room after their 7-1 thrashing by Germany.

Holland winger Arjen Robben has insisted Argentina have zero chance of beating Germany in the World Cup final on Sunday.

JEFF POWELL: If the third World Cup final between Argentina and Germany resembles the first, we are in for an entertaining evening on Sunday. If it is anything like the second final, four years later, we will be nodding off or turning over before the 9pm watershed.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup final is almost upon us, and adidas have released their advert to mark the showdown at the Maracana.

The Italian official accused last week of favouring Argentina and Lionel Messi has been chosen to referee their World Cup final against Germany.

If Argentina do confound what would appear to be growing opinion and lift the World Cup for the third time on Sunday, do not expect to find coach Alejandro Sabella in the middle of the post-match party.

This summer, former England Under-21 team-mates Theo Walcott and Adam Johnson played golf together in Portugal. At the same time, six of the Germans they faced in the 2009 European Championship final were in Brazil heading towards the World Cup final.

What sets Germany apart is that they are in a constant state of self-evaluation, while never allowing the free pass of treating a World Cup as a dry run.

At first glance it looked so simple. Almost a toe-poke, in fact. And then, around the stadium, those in celebration and despair searched for the replay. There it was, in all its glory. A goal to grace a World Cup final, a goal that was so much more than the sum of its parts.

Lukas Podolski needs no invitation to take a selfie, so the Germany striker wasn't about to let the opportunity pass him by after winning the World Cup.

NEIL ASHTON AT THE MARACANA: Germany have been regarded as the best prepared team at the tournament for some time: Best players, best training ground, best coach, best everything.

As the Germany players celebrated their World Cup victory, their WAGs could not resist joining the on-field party at the Maracana.

Despite playing just five games at the World Cup, Colombia's star James Rodriguez won the Golden Boot with six goals.

SAM CUNNINGHAM: Blood oozed from the cut beneath his right eye. The wound was so deep that the bright red claret streamed down his protruding right cheek.

Mario Gotze may look like he is not long out of babygrow lederhosen but his status as Germany’s wunderkind has been established for some considerable time.

MARTIN KEOWN: The World Cup final can be the best occasion of a footballer's life, or the worst if they crumble under the pressure.

It was party time for Germany after clinching their fourth World Cup with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the final on Sunday.

There will have been plenty of Arsenal fans cheering on Germany on Sunday evening, attempting to share in the triumph of a World Cup win that seems to edge further away from England's dreams.

Philipp Lahm was Germany's intrepid leader on the pitch but Lukas Podolski was leading them home to their inevitable rapturous reception in Berlin.

There's nothing better than your country winning the World Cup, but Barbadian singer Rihanna seemed more than happy after Germany beat Argentina.

Gary Neville had barely digested his first breakfast under the new world order when he waded into an online debate with those who thought England should simply try to copy the way Germany produce footballers.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is targeting further glory with Germany after finally winning his first major trophy with the national side. Schweinsteiger had become used to just coming up short in major tournaments.

MARTIN SAMUEL AT THE MARACANA: The perfect team versus the perfect superstar that was the narrative here. On one side Die National Mannschaft, on the other Lionel Messi. Yet football has a way of confounding such expectation. Mario Gotze scored a team goal, true, but with a level of technique that would have won Messi the Golden Ball had it come from his foot.

Germany, Poland, Romania and Albania successfully reached Euro 2016 as the final round of qualifying matches continued on Sunday. Constantin Budescu struck twice for Romania.

Figures – collated by the Association of Accounting Technicians using player values according to transfermarkt.com – value the German squad at £421.4million with England at £334.5m.

A number of teams have released the shirts they will be wearing at Euro 2020 next summer. The likes of Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium have all unveiled their kits.

After a career in top-level football spanning nearly three decades, Ryan Giggs will finally fulfil his dream of competing at a major tournament with Wales.

When it comes to a proper spa break, the challenge is finding the right retreat to deal with whatever is your issue. So, here is our guide to show you what's on offer around the world in 2020.

The Bundesliga has been given the green light to resume in the coming weeks by German chancellor Angela Merkel - with May 15 the earliest possible day for a restart.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY MATT BARLOW: Rabbi Matondo was among the wave of fearless young British footballers who set out to forge their futures in Germany.

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