Wirtz started in a role somewhere between an attacking midfielder and an inverted winger, depending on how you’d interpret Hansi Flick’s starting lineup, but rarely got on the ball. He finished with fifteen touches, five possessions lost, and no duels won (via Sofascore). The few times he did look dangerous, he wasn’t able to find a teammate with his delivery who was in position to score — though this may not be his fault alone.

1. FC Union Berlin: Wagner – Wildner, Gericke, Schulz, Bach (Reichenbach) – Scheel, Kratz (Fran, Heiseler (Trojahn) – Krauss, Spolaczyk (Bucher), Youssef (Scheffler)

Liverpool will only have the Premier League to focus on between now and the end of the season and need to secure a top-four finish if they are to compete in next season’s Champions League.

It required skill, patience and good nerves from driver Thomas in order to guide the BVB team bus through the narrow streets of Kirchberg in Tyrol. He will certainly not be the only one to work up a sweat this week. Coach Jan Zimmermann will summon his players twice a day to the training premises of local club SV Brixen im Thale. “The pitch is even better than it has been in recent years. Perhaps that’s down to the fact that Brixen have been promoted,” said sporting director Ingo Preuß with a wink.

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are now set to focus on finishing in the top four. They have difficult games coming up against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

The players who were away on international duty in June had already completed the medical examinations and the performance diagnostics at the weekend. On Monday, they were back on the pitch with their team-mates for the first time in pre-season. As they have done in recent weeks, players from the U23s and U19s continued to form part of the training squad so that BVB coach Edin Terzic had a large group as his disposal. The warm-up was followed by coordination and passing drills, before the session concluded with a game scenario involving four mini goals. (cr)

After the fortnight-long international break, FC Augsburg faced VfL Wolfsburg. FCA lead for long periods in the club’s 400th Bundesliga match and led 2-0 at half time, thanks to an own goal and Berisha’s ninth goal of the season. However, Augsburg could not hold onto their lead and Wolfsburg managed to find an equaliser in stoppage time.