Bayern Munich
Strong XI for Reds, Man City defender doubtful, Chelsea midfielder out
The Champions League is back with a bang this week as the first leg of the quarter-final ties are played across Europe. The action gets underway on Tuesday, with two Premier League teams hoping to boost their chances of progressing to the last four. Despite still missing some key players, Liverpool will field a strong starting XI for their visit to Real Madrid. Diogo Jota could get the nod in attack after bagging twice as a substitute in the Reds’ 3-0 Premier League victory over Arsenal on Saturday. Manchester City have nearly a full squad to choose from for their game against Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium. Defender Nathan Ake is City’s only major doubt as they get set to face the Bundesliga outfit. Chelsea will be without midfielder N’Golo Kante for their trip to play Porto at t...
Injuries galore for RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich ahead of big clash
RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich go head-to-head in a massive Bundesliga title six-pointer at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday. With four points separating the sides ahead of the kick-off, Leipzig will be looking to snap their five-game winless league run against Bayern (D4, L1) and remain in the title run-in. But it will be a daunting task for the home team to grab the victory here, knowing they have failed to score in two of their last three competitive H2Hs at this venue (D2, L1). RB Leipzig Preview Leipzig enjoyed an impressive eight-game unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga before the international break curtailed their momentum, dropping just two of the available 24 points in that run (W7, D1). Julian Naglesmann has shown he knows in-depth about building a fortress, having guided his side to ...
Bayern Munich chairman rules out Erling Haaland move
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has dismissed reports that the club are eyeing up a move for Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland. Bayern currently own the world’s most prolific striker in Robert Lewandowski. The Poland international has scored 97 goals over the past two seasons and could break the Bundesliga single-season record if he hits six more league goals this term. Lewandowski has been brilliant this season However, Lewandowski is set to turn 33 in the summer, and a long-term replacement will be needed. Haaland has been touted as his successor. Rummenigge has played down the links to the 20-year-old, insisting that they are not looking to replace Lewandowski just yet. Speaking to German outlet Bild, Rummenigge said: “I don’t know where the rumours have come from. I c...
Robert Lewandowski ruled out of PSG clash through injury
Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out of Bayern Munich’s clashes with Paris Saint-Germain due to a knee injury sustained during the international break, reports Christian Falk on Twitter. The Poland international has had a breathtaking season in front of goal, netting 35 goals in 25 Bundesliga outings, as well as a further five in the Champions League. Due to this form, he has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Lewandowski has been brilliant this season News recently emerged that Lewandowski suffered an injury during Poland’s World Cup qualifier with Andorra, in which the forward bagged a brace. This injury was confirmed to keep him out of the upcoming clash with England. And now the extent of the problem has been revealed, with Christian Falk reporting via Twitt...
The Longest Winning Streaks in Football History
Teams across the world dream of compiling the longest winning streak in football, but very few ever come close to topping the list. Manchester City’s bid to set a new record for consecutive victories was recently ended at the 21-game mark by Manchester United. The Red Devils triumphed 2-0 in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium to leave City eight games short of the 29 successive victories set by Benfica between 1972 and 1973. Across the rest of Europe, Dinamo Zagreb (2007/08 – 28), Celtic (2003/04 – 25), Ferencvaros (1931/32 – 22) and PSV Eindhoven (1987/88 – 22) have also topped City’s 21-game run. In terms of Europe’s main five leagues, City rank third on the list behind Bayern Munich (2019/20 – 23) and Real Madrid (2014/15 -22). Longest Winning Streaks (Big Five Leagues) 1. Bayern ...
Paul Merson says Bayern Munich star ‘not as good as’ Tottenham player
Popular football pundit Paul Merson has claimed that Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski is not as good as Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane. There is a general perception among football fans that Lewandowski is the best conventional forward in the world. The Polish striker has scored over 40 goals in each of his last six seasons, including a remarkable 55 goals for Bayern last season as they ended up winning the historic treble. The 32-year-old striker has been simply superb this season, scoring 42 goals in all competitions. He was named The Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2020. However, Merson feels Kane has the edge over Lewandowski. “Robert Lewandowski won the award for the best player in the world last year – but he’s not as good as Harry Kane,” Merson wrote in the Daily Sta...
Football’s greatest comebacks, featuring Liverpool, Barcelona and Camp Nou in 1999
When players are being taught the basics of the game as youngsters, one of the key messages is to play until the final whistle. That point certainly rings true at professional level, with fans taking a dim view of teams who throw in the towel too early. One of the most thrilling aspects of football is when a team recovers from an impossible position to win a game. With that in mind, we take a look at ten of the best-ever comebacks. Manchester United vs Bayern Munich – Champions League – 1999 Recovering from one goal down is common in football, but the manner of United’s comeback in the 1999 Champions League Final was extraordinary. Bayern took an early lead through Mario Basler and looked on course to lift the prestigious trophy as the game headed into stoppage time. However, goals by Tedd...
Barcelona and Real Madrid target rejects Chelsea move
David Alaba has rejected a move to Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, reports Sky Germany. Alaba has been a regular at Bayern Munich for the best part of the last decade, making 421 appearances in all competitions for the Bavarians. During that time, he has won nine Bundesliga titles, six DFB Pokals, and two Champions Leagues. David Alaba has had a highly successful time at Bayern Munich However, the Austrian looks nailed on to depart the Allianz Arena this summer on a free transfer, having rejected a new contract. This has got several of Europe’s top clubs keeping an eye on the situation, hoping to bring in one of the world’s best defenders for cheap. Two clubs who were looking at the defender were Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. However, Sky Germany are claiming that he has said no to bot...
Champions League flashback: Liverpool and Man City’s chance for revenge + 2020 Final repeat
The fixtures for the Champions League quarter-finals have been drawn, with several enticing fixtures. Manchester City were the first side out of the pot, coming up against Borussia Dortmund, while Porto got drawn against Chelsea. The final two fixtures see repeats of recent finals, with Bayern Munich facing Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid playing Liverpool. In anticipation of the next round of European games, here is a look back at some of the best clashes between these sides. Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund Balotelli’s equaliser was not enough to prevent an early exit for Man City Rather surprisingly, this is only the second time that these two sides have been drawn up against each other. The first came in the group stages of the 2012/13 season. It was a very different Borussia ...
WCQ: Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele returns to France squad
Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has been rewarded for his upturn in form with a recall to the France squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The 24-year-old hasn’t featured for Les Bleus since the summer of 2019 but now has the chance to add to his six international caps in matches against Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Other notable returnees include Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Lemar, who hasn’t featured since November 2019, while Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele, a member of their 2018 World Cup-winning squad, is back for the first time in two-and-a-half years. This represents Ndombele’s first international call up since his club-record €60 million (£54m/$68m) move from Lyon to Tottenham. The Frenchman arrived in north London with a reputation as an all-action midf...
Key Bayern Munich duo doubtful for clash with Lazio
Bayern Munich will be looking to complete their mission in the Champions League when they lock horns with Lazio on Wednesday night. The Bavarians utterly outperformed the Italian side in Rome, claiming a comfortable 4-1 triumph to put themselves in firm control of the tie ahead of the return leg. Given both team’s continuous presence in major European competitions, it may come as some surprise that this is their first UEFA encounter in Munich. Bayern Munich Preview Coming into proceedings as overwhelming favourites to advance to the quarter-finals, Bayern will be looking to maintain a 100% win record in home Champions League matches under Hansi Flick. Since Flick replaced Niko Kovac in the dugout, the Bavarians have netted a staggering average of 3.46 goals per Champions League fixture, sc...
Atletico Madrid midfielder wants Bayern Munich switch
Spanish midfielder Saul Niguez is seeking a way out of Atletico Madrid this summer, reports Spanish outlet Diario AS. Saul came through the academy at Atletico Madrid, earning his professional debut in March 2012. His breakthrough into the starting XI came in the 2014/15 season following an impressive loan spell at Rayo Vallecano. Under Diego Simeone, the midfielder has won two Europa Leagues, one Copa del Rey, and finished as a runner up in the 2015/16 Champions League, losing to rivals Real Madrid in the final on penalties. He has also earned 19 caps for the Spain national team, scoring three times. Saul has been an important player for Atletico Madrid over the years However, it appears as if his time at the Wanda Metropolitano is set to come to an end this summer, with Diario AS re...
