Bayern Munich wrapped up a fifth successive Bundesliga title sparking scenes of celebration, but the outlook for Wolfsburg is far bleakerIt has been a long couple of weeks for Bayern Munich. Little wonder, then, that Thiago Alcântara’s first words as the players made it back to the dressing room after celebrating with a fifth successive Bundesliga crown with their travelling fans at Wolfsburg were, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung, a throaty cry of “donde está el alcohol?”Long after the season is done, Bayern will pick over the season’s two most costly defeats, each of which defy comprehension for very different reasons – against Real Madrid, in the Champions League and last week, against Borussia Dortmund in the DfB Pokal semi-final. In...
Nobody is expecting Max Kruse to really become an angel, but seeing him in the white of Germany doesn’t seem that daft any morePerhaps, in years to come, it will be looked upon as one of the anomalies in the history of collectible football toys. When the DfB commissioned Lego figures of Germany’s Euro 2016 squad, the list was compiled months before Jogi Löw made his final choices. So alongside Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller and Mario Götze was a figure of the injured Marco Reus, for example.There is also one in the collection that sticks out if you look at Lego’s squad today, or if you’re browsing for spares on eBay – that of No23, one Max Kruse. Dropped by...
Thomas Tuchel’s side showed great unity in their emotional win against Frankfurt and while football would love a redemptive narrative in the Champions League tie in Monaco the reality is that trauma is still being processedThis, we are supposed to say, is where the healing begins. Where normal life resumes. Where the terrorists learn that they cannot win, and where good people will find the strength to carry on in defiance of their tyranny. Related: Bayern Munich held to a draw while Borussia Dortmund claim emotional win Related: Dortmund’s Marc Bartra on ‘the longest and hardest 15 minutes of my life’ Continue reading...
The veteran ‘Robbery’ pair destroyed Borussia Dortmund and have won the fight with Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman to be Ancelotti’s weapons of choiceIt was Der Klassiker in name, but not quite always in nature. When Bayern Munich meet Borussia Dortmund it always means something, but there were hints throughout on Saturday evening’s three-quarter-throttle effort of bests being saved for more significant challenges to come. There was “even time for kisses,” as Süddeutsche Zeitung put it, referring to Carlo Ancelotti’s peck on the cheek for Franck Ribéry on the touchline as the Frenchman was replaced deep into the second half. It is safe to assume that if there was some sort of acquiesce of non-aggression before a week which will...
There was nothing Hollywood (or FC Hollywood) about Hoffenheim’s victory at the 18th time of trying. It was all very real and credibleAll things come to those who wait, and as Hoffenheim’s owner Dietmar Hopp said as night drew in on Tuesday: “The 18th attempt against Bayern was the most beautiful.”Hopp, the 76-year-old software billionaire whose funds have propelled his local club from village obscurity to the Bundesliga’s podium, had every right to enjoy the moment. His team’s 17-match winless streak against German football’s gold standard had encompassed a mix of near misses and – naturally – a few genuine spankings, but this was no fluke or pig-headed rearguard action. Hoffenheim were simply better than Bayern on the night, even...