Wuhan football team make emotional return to virus ground zero

SHANGHAI: Wuhan Zall, the Chinese Super League team from the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, made an emotional return to their home city after more than three months torn from their families.

Zall endured a turbulent 104 days on the road — including being stranded in Spain — because Wuhan was sealed off in January when the virus killed and infected thousands there.

The city is now emerging from its weeks-long lockdown and hundreds of chanting fans met the Zall players when they arrived at Wuhan’s train station late Saturday, state media said.

Wearing masks, the players had bouquets of flowers thrust into their hands as supporters clad in the team’s orange colours held banners and sang. “After more than three months of wandering, the homesick Wuhan Zall team members finally set foot in their hometown,” the team said on the Twitter-like Weibo. The squad, led by their Spanish coach Jose Gonzalez, will now spend a few days at home before resuming training on Wednesday.