1. FC Union Berlin suffered the first defeat of the new year, going down 0-2 at FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga last Saturday. Markus Weinzierl’s team prolonged Union’s winless trips to the VVK-Arena in Augsburg since the Köpenick club were promoted to the Bundesliga. Union were captains of their own downfall, going behind after 16 minutes when a mistake was punished by Michael Gregoritsch. It was largely one-way traffic for Augsburg with Christopher Trimmel forced to clear off the line on 26 minutes. Helped by the return of top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi after the African Cup of Nations, Union came back into the game but the Nigerian couldn’t take his opportunities. Niko Gießelmann headed over as Union put on more pressure but Rafal Gikiewicz kept his former club at bay. Andre Hahn scored a long-range piledriver after the interval to put the game beyond doubt. Urs Fischer handed a debut to Sven Michel for the last half an hour following his arrival from Paderborn.

It said MSP, which has stakes in a number of European football clubs, will put up 70 per cent of the proposed price, with investors from Abu Dhabi set to make up the rest of the offer to current owner Joe Lewis and chairman Daniel Levy.

Watzke was nominated for election in his function as vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB) and succeeds Dr. Rainer Koch. In taking up this role, Watzke will sit on the committee for the two years remaining in the current term of office. Among other things, the 63-year-old wants to push for more financial justice in European football, for stronger controls and sanctions. “I would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in me and I want to assure all Black & Yellows that my top priority will always be to work for BVB,” stressed Watzke.

On Tuesday evening (20/6), several Werder players were in action with their national teams. Naby Keïta, however, celebrated qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Ivory Coast from 13th January to 11th February 2024, without playing. After Ethiopia and Malawi played out a goalless draw, Guinea have secured their qualification. There were mixed feelings for the other Green-Whites in action.

FC Managing Director Christian Keller said: “Davie doesn’t just fit in well as a player but also as a person to FC, to how we play and to our values. He goes forward on and off the pitch and knows that he still hasn’t reached the end of his path. That makes you want more, and the contract extension ahead of time is the right consequence of that. We are really pleased that Davie has gone with us and wants to continue that path for the long term.”

For the first time, the award will be combined with an index in which on-the-pitch performance, minutes played and club coefficient are all taken into account. Engels is ranked in 75th in the longlist (Golden Boy rating: 64.6), with Bayern’s Jamal Musiala top of the rankings, ahead of Jude Bellingham and last year’s winner, Gavi. 

What are the chances?

“It was an extraordinary and exciting journey that I was able to go on with TSG,” says Frank Briel in summary of his time at the club. “I am grateful for the many experiences and unique adventures. However, I have now spent more than a third of my life at TSG and made the decision for myself over the course of last year that it would be time to call it a day after this season in order to reorient myself once again,” explains Briel. “I was all the happier that we managed to stay in the league after an intense, complicated and gruelling season. I have accompanied this club from the Regionalliga all the way to the Champions League, met interesting people and been responsible for exciting projects in a managerial position. In the past two decades, there have been enormous challenges to overcome, especially at the financial level. Leading a medium-sized company through the pandemic years was particularly challenging,” said the outgoing managing director as he looked back.

70 goals in 172 games | RB Leipzig’s number 18 departs as Bundesliga top scorer and two-time DFB-Pokal winner | 55 goal involvements in one season | Player of the Season and several other individual awards

Having picked up a muscle strain in his thigh last weekend, Stefan Bell has just taken...