<p>Chinese Super League teams on Monday began filtering out of sealed-off hotels where they have been confined for the past 10 weeks as part of strict measures to thwart the coronavirus.</p>.<p>Players, coaches and backroom staff have not seen their families since mid-July, and were only allowed to leave the hotels to play matches and train.</p>.<p>During the virus-hit season, eight of the 16 teams were at a single hotel in Suzhou, near Shanghai. The other eight were at a hotel in the northeastern city of Dalian.</p>.<p>Players will now return to their families at last, before the second stage of the CSL campaign begins on October 16, again in Suzhou and Dalian.</p>.<p>There were no reported infections during the first phase, after which Fabio Cannavaro's reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande were top in Dalian and Shanghai SIPG led in Suzhou.</p>.<p>"When you're here before the season starts (and you know that) you have 10 weeks in a hotel here in Dalian, your first thought is: it's going to be very hard, it's hard for everyone," Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the former Barcelona star now in charge of Guangzhou R&F, said.</p>.<p>"But now after 10 weeks the time went really fast, even though we are all in the hotel no matter who -- players, coaches, CFA (Chinese Football Association) staff, media."</p>.<p>Moises Lima, of Shandong Luneng, on Sunday posted a picture on Twitter of his fellow Brazilians in Dalian, including Evergrande's international midfielder Paulinho.</p>.<p>"We talk about serious things, we share jokes, we know more about each other's stories, we learn from each other, we laugh a lot, we created new friendships," the 32-year-old Moises wrote.</p>.<p>"They gave me the strength to make the time go faster and take away some of the anxiety about being so far from our families.</p>.<p>"We face each other on the pitch, each one defending their club in the best way, and regardless of the result we continue respecting each other.</p>.<p>"Without a doubt, five, 10, 20 years from now we will remember some stories from this period."</p>.<p>Each team played two matches a week, with the season starting behind closed doors on July 25 to limit the risk of virus infections.</p>.<p>A small number of fans have since been allowed back into the stadiums in Dalian and Suzhou.</p>.<p>The two team hotels were equipped with everything from libraries and hairdressers to karaoke and arcade machines.</p>.<p>Alcohol, however, was off-limits and the CFA admitted before the season that it was concerned about the mental health of those in the "bubble".</p>.<p>"For everyone it was a big task to be fresh and focused," said van Bronckhorst, whose side finished sixth in Dalian.</p>.<p>"Also mentally, that's very hard, but everyone can be proud of themselves, the way we all acted and performed."</p>.<p>In the second phase, teams will play two-legged knockout matches with an eventual champion crowned on November 12.</p>
<p>Chinese Super League teams on Monday began filtering out of sealed-off hotels where they have been confined for the past 10 weeks as part of strict measures to thwart the coronavirus.</p>.<p>Players, coaches and backroom staff have not seen their families since mid-July, and were only allowed to leave the hotels to play matches and train.</p>.<p>During the virus-hit season, eight of the 16 teams were at a single hotel in Suzhou, near Shanghai. The other eight were at a hotel in the northeastern city of Dalian.</p>.<p>Players will now return to their families at last, before the second stage of the CSL campaign begins on October 16, again in Suzhou and Dalian.</p>.<p>There were no reported infections during the first phase, after which Fabio Cannavaro's reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande were top in Dalian and Shanghai SIPG led in Suzhou.</p>.<p>"When you're here before the season starts (and you know that) you have 10 weeks in a hotel here in Dalian, your first thought is: it's going to be very hard, it's hard for everyone," Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the former Barcelona star now in charge of Guangzhou R&F, said.</p>.<p>"But now after 10 weeks the time went really fast, even though we are all in the hotel no matter who -- players, coaches, CFA (Chinese Football Association) staff, media."</p>.<p>Moises Lima, of Shandong Luneng, on Sunday posted a picture on Twitter of his fellow Brazilians in Dalian, including Evergrande's international midfielder Paulinho.</p>.<p>"We talk about serious things, we share jokes, we know more about each other's stories, we learn from each other, we laugh a lot, we created new friendships," the 32-year-old Moises wrote.</p>.<p>"They gave me the strength to make the time go faster and take away some of the anxiety about being so far from our families.</p>.<p>"We face each other on the pitch, each one defending their club in the best way, and regardless of the result we continue respecting each other.</p>.<p>"Without a doubt, five, 10, 20 years from now we will remember some stories from this period."</p>.<p>Each team played two matches a week, with the season starting behind closed doors on July 25 to limit the risk of virus infections.</p>.<p>A small number of fans have since been allowed back into the stadiums in Dalian and Suzhou.</p>.<p>The two team hotels were equipped with everything from libraries and hairdressers to karaoke and arcade machines.</p>.<p>Alcohol, however, was off-limits and the CFA admitted before the season that it was concerned about the mental health of those in the "bubble".</p>.<p>"For everyone it was a big task to be fresh and focused," said van Bronckhorst, whose side finished sixth in Dalian.</p>.<p>"Also mentally, that's very hard, but everyone can be proud of themselves, the way we all acted and performed."</p>.<p>In the second phase, teams will play two-legged knockout matches with an eventual champion crowned on November 12.</p>