"It won't be a normal game. I'll be seeing former teammates and familiar faces again. We know that Bayern are currently one of the best teams in the world. But we have quality too, we want to give Bayern a hard time and try to beat them at home. I'm really looking forward to this game," Wanner told Sport Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
FC Bayern played an outstanding first half of the Bundesliga season, they've also been once again very successful internationally, and are thus making yet another enormous contribution to the positive perception of the quality of German football. Regarding the international marketing of the league, we know from our international partners that an exciting title race, top stars with global appeal, strong club brands, and international success for clubs and the national team are the key success factors.
"The city of Munich must submit an official application to UEFA by June 2026. Currently, we are the only applicant," Dreesen said (t-online journo Julian Buhl via @iMiaSanMia) The UEFA Executive Committee will then decide in September 2026 where the final will take place. We are, of course, making every effort to secure the hosting rights. With the Allianz Arena, we have the perfect infrastructure for such a major final, and UEFA is well aware of that."
I can say it openly: Bayern Munich. In hindsight, it's the only club I think I should have joined. But we'll never know how things would have turned out. That was during the time of Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, and all the others; it was clear I wouldn't have played as much as I did here [in Hoffenheim]. Financially, I would definitely have been better off. That's the only thing I might regret; everything else didn't particularly appeal to me. That's why I'm still here.
That's what it's all about for me at every moment. I want our technically strongest players to have the ball, the four or five up front leading the line. These are the guys who make the difference. The question is: How do we get the ball to them? How do we create space for them? How do we give them three or four options? A dribble, a one-two, a cross... If they have the choice, we've done a good job. Then they can show what only they can do,
Said El Mala has burst onto the scene at FC Köln and he's quickly become a transfer target for several top clubs across Europe including Bayern Munich. His profile has been compared to that of Lennart Karl and Jamal Musiala with his pace, dribbling abilities, and finishing, but he's his own player and, by the looks of things, has quite a high ceiling ahead of him.
Bayern kicked off the tournament in a rather rusty fashion, as they found themselves trailing 3-1 to Juventus in their opening game. However, because Bayern have made a habit of comebacks nowadays, they came back in style to win 4-3. Ribéry, Sebastian Rudy (remember him?), Mandžukić, and Mark van Bommel scored the goals. The second and last group game pitted the hosts against Eintracht Frankfurt.
It's always a bit tougher at a certain age. I'm 28, I've already experienced a fair bit. I've already played quite a few games and, yes, time always seems to pass so quickly. I actually still feel very young. You do notice that you're a bit older, but it's fun. I feel great and I feel I have many, many years left in me.