Ireland striker Barrett has been tested four times ahead of Bundesliga return

Ireland and FC Koln striker Amber Barrett has already been tested four times for Covid-19 ahead of the resumption of the Frauen-Bundesliga this week.

The Donegal woman is currently in a quarantine camp with her teammates ahead of their game with Wolfsburg on Friday.

She’ll be among the first Irish professional athletes back in action after the sporting shutdown.

And on the Irish Examiner Sport Podcast, she explained how football's resumption has been handled in Germany.

“Two weeks ago, on the Thursday afternoon, we got a text in our group chat to say that by the Friday we’d be back training in two groups of nine.

“After a couple of days we had our first test. We were not allowed to take part in full contact training until we had at least two corona tests that were negative.

“Today (Sunday) we had our fourth test in the last 10 days and thankfully everyone was negative again. And we’ve been collectively training full throttle since last Wednesday.

“One of the criteria that had to happen, since last Friday we’ve gone into a quarantine week together, a little training camp. So we’ve gone to a little place outside Cologne, a sports school.

“We play our first game on Friday and our next test is on Thursday. In terms of the testing we’ve been extremely well looked after. Results for this morning have already come back today. It’s so quick.”

Having seen the scale of testing being done, Barrett is comfortable with a return to full contact action.

“Honestly, if you had said it to me a few weeks ago, I’d have said I don’t think it's going to be possible. But now I've seen how everyone has acted and how the testing has been undertaken.

“The only negative is we have to play so many games in such a short period of time. One of the agreements was they wanted to finish the league by the end of June.

“We play Wolfsburg on Friday and between then and the 28th or 29th of June we have to play the remaining seven games.

“Having eight games to play in that short space of time is a tough ask, physically and mentally.

“Going from training eight or nine weeks at home on your own — and yes we were doing lots of running and loads of workouts and strength training — but you can’t really replicate certain match situations on your own.

“That’s one of the concerns. Even from the first weekend of the men’s league there were a reported 10 muscle injuries from the six games. That’s huge. And I think it’s going to keep increasing.

“But if it’s the best opportunity to play the games and see out the season, we should do it. Everyone is in the same boat.”

Barrett admits it has been a difficult period, living alone away from home in lockdown. She returned to Germany after the Republic of Ireland’s 3-0 win in Montenegro on March 11.

“I ended up going back to Germany that weekend because I was due to have a game on the Sunday. I got back on the Thursday evening.

“By Friday, everything was starting to shut down so I was a little bit unfortunate that I wasn't able to get home. But it was the same for a lot of people as well.

“Borders were closing. Nearly overnight everything changed. I left it too late to get home. But the club had asked the players to stay because they just didn’t know when things would get kick-started again.

“I’m very good away from home and I don't usually get very homesick but I must say I was extremely homesick. I think it's just one of those things that happens when you have something that’s a threat to everyone's health.

“At the start I was finding it difficult because of course I wanted to be home, but Koln wanted us here.

“But now, looking back, it would have been difficult, because I would have had to isolate at home for two weeks. When I came back I’d have to isolate for two weeks. It nearly worked out better the way it was.

“And thankfully, with Facetime and WhatsApp I was able to keep in touch with my family, see my mum and dad every day. That makes it easier.”