Bayern Munich

  • 'They realised against Liverpool they ne...

    Lothar Matthaus backed Bayern Munich's spending ahead of next season and thinks it can stop the Bundesliga giants slipping further behind the rest of Europe's elite. Bayern on Wednesday announced Lucas Hernandez will arrive from Atletico Madrid for a fee of €80 million (£68m/$90...

    'They realised against Liverpool they need to invest' – Matthaus backs Bayern spending as Lucas signs

    Lothar Matthaus backed Bayern Munich's spending ahead of next season and thinks it can stop the Bundesliga giants slipping further behind the rest of Europe's elite. Bayern on Wednesday announced Lucas Hernandez will arrive from Atletico Madrid for a fee of €80 million (£68m/$90m) at the end of the season, while the club in January shelled out a reported €35m (£31m/$40m) to secure the signature of Benjamin Pavard from the 2019-20 campaign. The Bavarian side have won six consecutive Bundesliga titles but are being pushed harder by Borussia Dortmund this term, while Niko Kovac's men were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool at the last-16 stage. Bayern were outclassed in a 3-1 loss at home to the Reds on March 13 and club great Matthaus identified a clear gap between the teams. However, he feels Bayern moving for a pair of World Cup-winning defenders represents a step in the right direction. "I believe it is right to invest in players who can make the difference," he said. "Bayern failed to get this quality in the transfer market before this season. "They realised against Liverpool that they need to invest. That's why I think it's right that the club is now spending money to get new, high-quality players to compete internationally with the big English, Spanish and Italian clubs." Despite the supposed limitations of the class of 2018-19, however, Matthaus is still backing Bayern – who only sit top of the Bundesliga on goal difference – to pip Dortmund to the title. "Dortmund still have to replace Bayern after six championships in a row," he said. "But I believe more in Bayern, because the team has more experience and knows such situations. "Above all, they have successfully prevailed during such situations. The pressure that you must deal with in such a situation is very large and the experience speaks for Bayern. "That's why I think - despite the lead Dortmund had - that the greater experience of Bayern means their seventh championship in a row will be achieved."

  • Madrid derby & full International Ch...

    The first Madrid derby to be played outside of Europe has been confirmed for this year's International Champions Cup. Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid is one of 18 matches that will take place across North America, Europe and Asia in July and August.  Joining the Madrid clubs in ...

    Madrid derby & full International Champions Cup fixture list

    The first Madrid derby to be played outside of Europe has been confirmed for this year's International Champions Cup. Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid is one of 18 matches that will take place across North America, Europe and Asia in July and August.  Joining the Madrid clubs in the seventh edition of the competition are reigning champions Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal, Roma, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter, Bayern Munich, Benfica and Chivas. Madrid's clash with their city rivals will take place on July 26 at MetLife Stadium, the home of the New York Giants and Jets, while other eye-catching fixtures include Bayern vs AC Milan, Tottenham vs Man Utd and Juventus vs Inter. In addition to New Jersey, the United States will play host to games in Los Angeles, Landover, Chicago, Charlotte, Santa Clara, Houston, Arlington, Kansas City and Foxborough. Cardiff, London, Stockholm, Singapore and Shanghai will serve as the venues for the Europe and Asia matches. Each team will play three matches and the club with the most points at the end of the tournament will lift the trophy. Games that end in a draw go straight to penalties with the winner receiving two points and the loser one. Fixtures: table.tableizer-table { font-size: 14px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #00a9ce; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } Date Match Time (local / BST) Venue Jul 16 Roma vs Chivas TBC SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, IL Jul 17 Arsenal vs Bayern Munich TBC Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA Jul 20 Manchester United vs Inter TBC National Stadium, Singapore Jul 20 Arsenal vs Roma TBC Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC Jul 20 Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid TBC NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Jul 20 Benfica vs Chivas TBC Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA Jul 21 Juventus vs Tottenham TBC National Stadium, Singapore Jul 23 Real Madrid vs Arsenal TBC FedExField, Landover, MD Jul 23 Bayern Munich vs AC Milan TBC Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, KS Jul 23 Chivas vs Atletico Madrid TBC Globe Life Park, Arlington, VA Jul 24 Juventus vs Inter TBC China venue TBC Jul 24 Roma vs Benfica TBC Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ Jul 25 Tottenham vs Manchester United TBC Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai Jul 26 Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid TBC MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Jul 28 AC Milan vs Benfica TBC Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Aug 3 Manchester United vs AC Milan TBC Principality Stadium, Cardiff Aug 4 Tottenham vs Inter TBC Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Aug 10 Atletico Madrid vs Juventus TBC Friends Arena, Stockholm

  • Bayern Munich complete club-record €80m ...

    Bayern Munich have completed a club-record €80 million (£68m/$90m) deal to sign Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez. The full-back, who was part of the France team to win the 2018 World Cup, has signed a five-year contract with the Bundesliga champions having completed a me...

    Bayern Munich complete club-record €80m Lucas Hernandez signing

    Bayern Munich have completed a club-record €80 million (£68m/$90m) deal to sign Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez. The full-back, who was part of the France team to win the 2018 World Cup, has signed a five-year contract with the Bundesliga champions having completed a medical over the international break. He becomes the second defensive reinforcement to have agreed to join Bayern this summer, with international team-mate Benjamin Pavard also on his way to Bavaria from Stuttgart after a €35m (£31m/$40m) deal was agreed in January. "Today is a very important day in my football career," Hernandez said in a statement released by his new club. "Bayern Munich is one of the best clubs in Europe and the world. I am proud to be able to fight for all titles for Bayern in the future. "I would like to thank Atletico, the management, the coaches, my team-mates and the fans for a wonderful 12 years. Atletico will always be part of me. Now I'm happy that I'm taking the next step at Bayern." Hernandez leaves Atletico having formed a key part of their defence under Diego Simeone in the Spanish capital. Since making his debut for the Rojiblancos in 2014 he has made 110 appearances for the club, though he will play no further role for Simeone's side this season as he requires knee ligament surgery. "In our sports medical examination, we found damage to the inner ligament of the right knee, which must be repaired surgically," Bayern club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt revealed. "In my experience, Lucas Hernandez will be available to FC Bayern for the start of the 2019-20 Bundesliga season." Hernandez, who can also play at centre-back, has made 15 appearances for his country and played every match for Didier Deschamps' side as they lifted the World Cup for the second time in Russia last summer. "I am very happy that in Lucas Hernandez we have been able to sign one of the best defensive players in the world and a world champion," said Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. "Lucas can be used both in central defence and on the left of defence. In addition, Lucas will continue our tradition of outstanding French players and strengthen our team." Hernandez's arrival continues Bayern's rebuilding project after an indifferent campaign for the giants of German football. A sluggish start to the season under new manager Niko Kovac saw them slip behind Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race, though Bayern have since made up a six-point gap since the winter break and top the table on goal difference with eight matches to play. In the Champions League, however, they failed to make the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 2011 following a last-16 defeat to Liverpool. Those disappointments, combined with an ageing squad that is set to lose Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery this summer, means Hernandez is unlikely to be the last new addition to the Bayern squad ahead of next season.

  • ‘Bayern must get De Ligt’ - Ajax defende...

    Rafael van der Vaart has said in-demand Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt should join Bayern Munich this summer. The Netherlands international is reportedly a target for some of the world’s top sides including Bayern, Barcelona and Manchester City, and Van der Vaart claims De Ligt ...

    ‘Bayern must get De Ligt’ - Ajax defender advised where to go by Van der Vaart

    Rafael van der Vaart has said in-demand Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt should join Bayern Munich this summer. The Netherlands international is reportedly a target for some of the world’s top sides including Bayern, Barcelona and Manchester City, and Van der Vaart claims De Ligt would be a perfect fit for the German champions. Speaking to Sport1, the former Ajax, Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder said: “Bayern must get De Ligt, he is absolutely a player for Munich. “I would advise him to go there, although I always said that he would be a good match for Juventus.  “Bayern play in central defence with Niklas Sule, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, but it is not clear if Hummels and Boateng will remain. So, there would be room for De Ligt. The boy is a great talent, has a lot of quality.” Van der Vaart is something of an expert on Dutchmen playing in the Bundesliga, having spent six years of his career with German side Hamburg. Like De Ligt, he also came through Ajax’s youth system, and played over 150 games for the club. The 36-year-old has been hugely impressed with De Ligt’s performances and believes he is showing maturity far beyond his years. He added: “De Ligt is only 19 years old and has a charisma and self-confidence like a 30-year-old. He gets on really well in interviews, seems very clear in the head, down to earth and grown up. “This is a player who does not hang his head after mistakes and keeps going. He is already a great role model for many talents in the Netherlands.” It’s not just De Ligt who has impressed Van der Vaart, but also his centre-back colleague for the national side, Virgil van Dijk. “He has everything to be the best in the world. He is tall, has charisma and is an absolute leader at Liverpool," said Van der Vaart. "He is outstanding. He has everything and is well on the way to becoming the best centre-back in the world." Van der Vaart was speaking after the Netherlands’ 3-2 defeat to Germany on Sunday night, a game in which the Dutch came from two goals behind only to lose. “Before the game, of course, we thought again that we will win the game against the Germans. Up front they have enormous quality. They are brutally strong and they showed that again in the first half against Oranje. That was incredible.  “In the second half, however, you have seen what the Germans still lack a world-class team. On the defensive side, there are extreme weaknesses. Then you realise that they have not been in the formation for so long.”

  • Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen has reac...

    Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is now matching Manuel Neuer stride for stride in the race for Germany's number one jersey, according to legend Franz Beckenbauer. The Barcelona goalkeeper has played every minute of the La Liga champions' top-flight campaign, keeping 11 clean sheets in the...

    Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen has reached Neuer's level, says Beckenbauer

    Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is now matching Manuel Neuer stride for stride in the race for Germany's number one jersey, according to legend Franz Beckenbauer. The Barcelona goalkeeper has played every minute of the La Liga champions' top-flight campaign, keeping 11 clean sheets in the process to help the club pull 10 points clear at the top. Neuer has displayed similar levels of consistency, missing just two of Bayern Munich's 26 Bundesliga games, but his displays haven't hit the levels he has shown in past years. That was evident as the 32-year-old committed a howler to allow Sadio Mane to open the scoring in Liverpool's Champions League last-16 second leg success at the Allianz Arena. Germany manager Joachim Low has hinted that he will keep faith with Neuer - who started the 1-1 friendly draw with Serbia - when Germany face the Netherlands in their Euro 2020 qualifying opener on Sunday. But Beckenbauer, who won over a century of caps for his country and claimed the World Cup as both a player and manager, does not expect Ter Stegen to give up in pursuit of replacing Neuer. "Ter Stegen has caught up a lot, but he has benefited from the injury of Manuel Neuer," he told Sky Sport Germany . "Manuel Neuer will pull together and continue to be the number one. I trust him. But Ter Stegen will not let up." While Neuer was able to retain his place in the squad for the latest bout of international fixtures, fellow old-stagers Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mulller have seen their international careers ended by Low. The coach will not consider the trio for selection in the future, a move which comes after Germany endured a woeful World Cup and dropped out of the top tier of the Nations League. They join Mesut Ozil on the sidelines, after the Arsenal playmaker retired from Germany duty citing his treatment by the DFB . But despite Low's bold statement, 73-year-old Beckenbauer expects the trio to be reinstated sooner rather than later. "I understand that this is a temporary non-selection and you look at how the boys are developing and that they can be brought back if needed," he added.

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