Coman says Nagelsmann there was no special for Mbappe (Telefoot via @iMiaSanMia )
It has been less than a week since Bayern Munich ousted Paris Saint-Germain from the Champions League and details are still leaking out on just how the Bavarians were able to stifle Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi so effectively.
According to Kingsley Coman, there was not any secret sauce to how it was done.
“There was no big ‘anti-Mbappé’ plan. The most important thing was just to cut his linkup with Messi,” Coman said.
Whatever strategy was deployed — even a loose one as Coman described — the players did the hard work to shutdown the talented twosome.
PSG in shambles, now focused on Haaland (Sport1)
Speaking of PSG, the French club sounds like it could be entering “panic mode” and the club believes the solution to its problem could be Manchester City Erling Haaland:
After another early knockout in the Champions League against FC Bayern, everything at Paris Saint-Germain is once again under scrutiny. Above all, the squad is to be rebuilt. New names of potential newcomers are appearing in the gazettes almost every day. This time it’s about none other than Erling Haaland.
As reported by French transfer expert Daniel Riolo (who works for RMC, among others), the star striker should be at the top of PSG’s list. Accordingly, the club is ready to pay 175 million pounds (equivalent to 197 million euros (!)) for the 22-year-old Norwegian in the service of Manchester City.
In return, Lionel Messi (contract expires) and Neymar (to be sold) could leave the club. However, Haaland is considered extremely ambitious. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine him moving to the comparatively weak French league.
The former Dortmund player is currently tied to Manchester City until 2027. Again and again there are rumors about an alleged exit clause in his contract. If this exists and is drawn, there are many indications of a move to Spain.
It does not feel like PSG — even with an outrageous offer — would be able to convince Haaland to join the squad. It also is extremely unlikely that Haaland leaves Manchester City any time before the summer of 2024 at a minimum.
Spurs seeking to extend Kane (@David_Ornstein)
Tottenham Hotspur is not even entertaining letting Harry Kane leave at this point and, in fact, is looking to extend the contract of the England international:
Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 2, Episode 35 (Bavarian Football Works)
What a week for Bayern Munich, huh?
The Bavarians took care of business domestically and in Europe and might have gotten over the hump from being a really good team to a great team in the process.
Let’s take a look at what is on tap for this week’s episode:
- A preview on Bayern Munich’s upcoming Bundesliga match vs. FC Augsburg and why the squad needs to avoid a letdown.
- Some thoughts on Bayern Munich’s massive win over Paris Saint-Germain and what that means moving forward, including the stellar defensive showing, the dominant midfield, and how the attack is finally settling in. All that said, where does this leave Sadio Mané, Leroy Sané, and Serge Gnabry?
- The latest details on the contract situations of Alphonso Davies, Lucas Hernandez, Sané, and Gnabry.
- Bayern Munich might have already made the decision to let Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo leave at the end of his loan.
Wanner holding off on making national team decision (@kerry_hau)
Just a few days ago, Bayern Munich youngster Paul Wanner’s international career looked like it might be on its way to Austria, but…maybe not:
Paul Wanner for Germany or Austria? Austria’s senior national coach Ralf Rangnick recently called for a quick decision, but the 17-year-old wants to take his time with it. At the end of March he will be in action for the German U18.
It feels like Wanner is trying to put some pressure on Germany, but it is unclear if the DFB is going to expedite Wanner’s progression through the system at this point. It would seem unlikely given the scant amount of minutes that he has played for Bayern Munich this season.
Wanner is still an exciting prospect, but it will soon be time for him to prove his mettle on the big stage. If he is up the task, the battle between Germany and Austria should start to heat up.
Marozsán announced international retirement (Instagram — 10maro10)
German great Dzsenifer Marozsán has announced her retirement from international play via Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
Hello dear fans and friends it is time for me to say goodbye and say thank you. I have worn the jersey of the German women’s national team with great pride all these years. Memorable moments were pent with my teammates. We have celebrated titles together over the years and also had moments when we were knocked down and learned at the same time. However, the biggest enrichment for me was to have met all these wonderful people around me. Be it my teammates, the team behind the team, our fans and all the people we met in different ways on many trips. For all these moments I am very, very grateful and will always carry them in my heart. Thank you for the incredible support. I will remain a big fan of the German women’s national team and will always carry you in my heart. Thank you @dfb_frauenteam
Marozsán’s last few years have been marred by injuries, but her legacy is extremely significant in the annals of German women’s football history.
Davies, Cancelo, Pavard, Sané garner more recognition (@WhoScored)
Alphonso Davies, Joao Cancelo, Benjamin Pavard, and Leroy Sané earned spots on WhoScored.com’s Bundesliga Team of the Week:
This was also pretty cool:
No better way to figure out I suppose (@tombogert)
If you are not playing rock-paper-scissors to determine who gets to take a free kick, you might be doing it wrong: