The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayern Munich

  • English Premier League has made me stronger – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes the competitive nature and sheer unpredictability of the English Premier League has presented him with the biggest challenge of his career.

    Prior to his move to Manchester, Guardiola collected three Spanish La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies with FC Barcelona.

    He then led Bayern Munich to three consecutive Bundesliga crowns in competitions dominated by very few teams.

    However, the Spaniard said it felt like he needed to learn a whole new set of skills after arriving in England in 2016.

    He was forced to cope with heavy fixture congestion and a title challenge from five other contenders.

    “I am a better manager than I was in Germany, and I am a better manager now than I was at FC Barcelona by far, just for the fact of being there,” he said at the Peers Annual Lecture at Liverpool University.

    “Now, I feel being here I am a better manager too, because I learned to handle this incredible league in many circumstances.

    Read Also: Guardiola: repeat of record-breaking season ‘impossible’

    “It is the toughest one, for the amount of games, for the weather and the referees saying: `play (on), play (on), play (on)’ and the competitors, there are many.

    “It is the only country that five or six (teams) can win the Premier League.”

    Guardiola led Manchester City to the English Premier League title in record-breaking fashion last season, finishing on 100 points and 106 goals in 38 matches.

    Manchester City also lifted the League Cup and Community Shield this year to take Guardiola’s tally to 24 major trophies.

    And the Spaniard has admitted that transferring his skills to the international stage could one day come to fruition.

    “Sooner or later, it will happen because every three days I would like to be involved, but a little bit more calm, play more golf,” he added.

    “If I have a chance and some international team wants to come `knock, knock’. We will see.”

     

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  • Mixed feelings for Ajax coach after surprise draw at Bayern

    Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik Ten Hag left Germany with mixed feelings after Tuesday’s unexpected 1-1 draw for his youthful team at Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

    Ajax fell behind early to a Mats Hummels header but then equalised through Moroccan fullback Noussair Mazraoui to move to four points from their two Group E games and with real hopes of advancing to the knockout phase.

    Ten Hag, however, was disappointed at his side not being able to become the first Dutch side to win at Bayern after they had the better of the chances.

    “On the one hand, I’m really satisfied but on the other, this was a game we could and should have won,” Ten Hag, a former reserve team coach at Bayern, told reporters after the stalemate against the misfiring German champions.

    “We laid down a really good achievement, right from the start of the game.

    Read Also: Man United, Ajax through to Europa League final

    “We have a good team but we need to mature a bit more, but we were full of enthusiasm and willingness.”

    Bayern struggled to build on their advantage and their recent slump continued as they battled to keep a vibrant Ajax at bay.

    “Bayern really struggled with the fact that we were constantly chasing the ball,” Ten Hag added.

    “And where we could, we try to play good football. But it’s a real pity we didn’t make it 2-1.

    “This sort of game gives the youngsters more self-confidence. Now they just have to convert their chances.

    “But this was a confirmation of what this team is capable of. We have quality players, who together can reach great heights.”

  • Thai cave boys return to school

    Officials said the 12 boys rescued from a cave in northern Thailand returned to school on Monday.

    At Mae Sai Prasitsart School in Chiang Rai province where six of the boys attend, all of the 12 boys were given a warm welcome back to school.

    The ceremony was also marked with Buddhist prayers, according to Chiang Rai officials.

    Dressed in their respective school uniforms, the boys were also given team shirts of Germany’s Bayern Munich football club by a club representative.

    A dramatic 19-day search and rescue mission for the group, a local youth football team, has gained much attention, sympathy and admiration from around the world.

    Many international football clubs have invited the group to come and see matches abroad following their dramatic rescue.

    The group visited Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non Cave, 1,000 kilometres north of Bangkok, on June 23.

    Read Also: Buhari hails Thailand’s rescue of trapped children from cave

    They were trapped inside for more than two weeks after a flash flood blocked their only exit, leading to Thailand’s biggest-ever rescue operation which involved thousands of people from many countries.

    After a successful rescue of all members of the group on July 10, the boys aged 11-16 recuperated at a nearby hospital for a week and then at home for another week.

    Eleven boys, with an exception of 14-year-old Adul Sam-on who is a Christian, entered a nine-day monkhood as an act of gratitude for their rescue.

    They left the monastery on Saturday.

    Their coach, 25-year-old Ekapol Chantawong, the only adult in the group trapped in the cave, is expected to remain a monk for three more months.

    A museum is being constructed near the cave to commemorate the rescue.

  • Germany’s Neuer will be first-choice if he makes World Cup – Bierhoff

    Manuel Neuer will be Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper at next month’s FIFA World Cup if he makes the final squad, team manager Oliver Bierhoff said on Thursday.

    The former Germany striker said this even against the background of the fact that the 2014 World Cup winner has not played a competitive game since September.

    Neuer missed almost the entire season after breaking a bone in his foot and undergoing surgery.

    His comeback for Bayern Munich was repeatedly delayed and the 32-year-old has had no match practice ahead of the tournament starting in Russia on June 14.

    He played in both recent training matches against Germany’s Under-20 team at their training base in Italy and is set to play in their friendly international against Austria on Saturday.

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    “Manuel will go to the World Cup as our number one,” Bierhoff told reporters at their training camp in Eppan, northern Italy. “If he makes the squad, then Marc-Andre (ter Stegen) will be number two.”

    There are four goalkeepers, including FC Barcelona’s ter Stegen, Paris St Germain’s Kevin Trapp and Bayer Leverkusen’s Bernd Leno, in coach Joachim Loew’s 27-man preliminary squad, preparing in the Italian Alps.

    He will cut four players, including one goalkeeper, on Monday for his final 23.

    “Manuel is already full on track. He does not need to get back on it. All the players have left a big impression here and it is as very difficult decision,” Bierhoff said.

    “On the evening before the team announcement there will be the final thoughts among the coaching staff. By noon the next day the players will be informed.”

    The Germans also expect Chancellor Angela Merkel to drop in on their camp this week.

    “My information is that on Sunday she will drop by. Before our training camp we visited her and she had hinted that she wanted to say hello without too much fanfare,” Bierhoff said.

    “It’s kind of a tradition. It is nice to hear from her and how she sees the team’s situation going into the tournament.”

    The Germans, who also face Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen on June 8 in their final warm-up match, are in World Cup Group F with Sweden, South Korea and Mexico.

    The tournament starts on June 14.

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  • FIFA meets with top clubs over $25bn investors offer

    The ruling body FIFA has met with seven leading clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester United to discuss a 25-billion dollar offer from investors for a revamped Club World Cup and a new global Nations League, the New York Times reported.

    The paper said that officials from Real, United, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus Turin were invited to FIFA’s Swiss headquarters on Wednesday over the controversial issue.

    The paper quoted FIFA as saying that “today’s meeting allowed us to observe a real interest for a complete reform of the Club World Cup and the development of a new model of competition that would benefit the entire football community around the world.”

    Read Also: Budweiser kicks off ‘Light Up The Fifa World Cup’ global campaign

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed the offer from yet to be identified investors to the governing body’s council two months ago.

    The investors are allegedly ready to dish out a maximum 25 billion euros for the two competitions between 2021 and 2033.

    The proposal has been met with stiff resistance from various sides including Europe’s UEFA and club organizations.

    Critics fear an even more blown up match calendar and rich clubs becoming even richer.

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  • UCL: Bayern Face Real Madrid, Liverpool Draw AS Roma

    Bayern Munich will play against Real Madrid in the Semi-Finals of the UEFA Champions League, as Liverpool will lock horns with AS Roma.

    Real Madrid reached the last four with a last-gasp 4-3 aggregate victory over Juventus. They had won 3-0 in Turin in a match where Cristiano Ronaldo scored a wonder goal, and lost 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeau. Ronaldo again had the final word of the match, when he converted an injury-time penalty after Gianluigi Buffon was sent off for his furious reaction to referee Michael Oliver’s decision.

    Bayern Munich on their part only had to hold on to a goalless draw in the second leg against Sevilla, with a  2-1 first-leg away win enough to take them through.

    Liverpool, the last English side standing in the competition this season, face AS Roma after cruising past fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City with a 5-1 aggregate victory. The Reds won 3-0 at Anfield, and also secured a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.

    AS Roma on their part secured an incredible away-goals comeback victory over Barcelona to get through, beating the Spanish giants 3-0 in Roma having lost the first leg 4-1 at Camp Nou.

    Bayern Munich host Real Madrid on 24th April and Liverpool entertain AS Roma a day after. The reverse fixtures take will take place with AS Roma hosting Liverpool on 1st May, and Real Madrid host Liverpool on 2nd May, 2018.

    The draw further revealed that the winner between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid will play “host” in the final at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kyiv on 26th May, 2018

  • Schalke delays Bayern Munich’s title party

     

    Schalke’s win over Freiburg Saturday forced a shift in Bayern Munich’s title party despite Bayern’s 6-0 demolition of Borussia Dortmund.

    Bayern Munich will have to wait to celebrate their sixth successive Bundesliga title triumph following Schalke’s 2-0 victory over 10-man Freiburg.

    Jupp Heynckes’ side could have confirmed their crown with a win against rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, but only if second-placed Schalke dropped points in their earlier clash with Freiburg.

    However, second-half goals from Daniel Caligiuri and Guido Burgstaller, which came either side of Nils Petersen’s red card, handed Domenico Tedesco’s side the points at VELTINS-Arena.

    Schalke’s victory has ensured that Bayern’s wait will go on until at least next week, when they face Augsburg away, where a title-clinching performance would extend their 18-year wait to clinch the title in a home game.

    Bayern were in a killer mood on Saturday making the tie against Dortmund look like a tea party.

    Bayern Munich scored five first-half goals at the Allianz Arena.

    Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring five minutes in and went on to score a hat-trick, while James Rodriguez, Thomas Muller and Franck Ribery also registered for a rampant Bayern.

    Top scorer Lewandowski was played in on goal by Muller and made no mistake by smashing the ball past Roman Burki, who would pick the ball out of his net a further four times over the next 40 minutes.

    Ribery had a goal ruled out by VAR moments later but it did not take long for a legitimate second to follow, as David Alaba and Rodriguez exchanged passes for the latter to slot past Burki.

    Dortmund enjoyed a bright spell as they attempted to reduce the arrears, seeing Christian Pulisic come close when getting a shot on target for Sven Ulreich to keep out.

    A third Bayern soon arrived; however, with Rodriguez chipping an inviting cross into the middle for Muller to volley home after Gonzalo Castro gave away possession in midfield.

    A frustrating evening for Michy Batshuayi was summed up when a ball towards him in the middle was slightly overhit, and Bayern were not in a forgiving mood as they went on to bag a sixth.

    Lewandowski was given the chance to complete his treble, this time making the most of the time and space afforded to him by tapping the ball over the line from a Joshua Kimmich cutback, putting Bayern on the brink of yet another title.

  • Bayern Munich out to consolidate in Turkey

     

    Bayern Munich jetted off to Turkey in style on Tuesday after decked in blacked-out suits ahead of their Champions League clash with Besiktas.

    The Bundesliga side take a commanding 5-0 lead from the first leg into Wednesday’s game against the Super Lig team.

    A brace from both Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski gave the Barvarians a comfortable advantage going into the second leg.

    And it showed as the reigning German champions looked cool and relaxed as they waited for their flight at Munich international airport on Tuesday morning.

    With their massive advantage from the first leg, Bayern look set to advance into the quarter-finals of the competition barring any miraculous comebacks from their Turkish opponents.

    Lewandowski’s two goals at the Allianz Arena from the first leg means he has now scored 16 goals in his last 16 Champions League games and will be Bayern’s main threat going forward.

    Despite their dominant lead, defender Niklas Sule insists that they won’t be getting ahead of themselves and that they are expecting a tough tie against Besiktas.

    ‘It goes without saying that 5-0 is a comfortable cushion, but we’re expecting an extraordinary atmosphere, and Besiktas have a good team,’ he told the club’s official website.

    ‘We saw that in the first 15 minutes of the first leg when the game was still 11 vs. 11. Nevertheless, we still want to win in Istanbul. We won’t let ourselves get carried away but simply play our game.

    ‘They’ll try to put us under pressure and win the game in front of their own fans. I’m really looking forward to the stadium, but I think we have enough experience in the team to not be overawed by that.’

     

     

  • Bayern romp home 5-0 after Besiktas suffer early red card

    Bayern romp home 5-0 after Besiktas suffer early red card

    Bayern Munich romped to a 5-0 win over Besiktas in their UEFA Champions League tie on Tuesday after the Turkish champions played nearly the whole match with 10 men.

    They were helped by two typical Thomas Mueller goals and two from Robert Lewandowski.

    Besiktas defender Domagoj Vida was given a straight red card for tripping Lewandowski outside the penalty area in the 16th minute.

    That indeed proved to be the defining moment in the round of 16 first leg ties played in Munich.

    Mueller, inelegant yet always effective, broke the deadlock with a miskick two minutes before halftime to break Besiktas’s resistance.

    Kingsley Coman and Mueller added two more before Lewandowski helped himself to a late brace, virtually assuring the Bavarians of a seventh successive quarter-final appearance.

    Besiktas won all three away games in the group stage and came with the clear intention of attacking Bayern but their plans were torpedoed by Vida’s red card.

    Read Also: Bayern Munich re-appoints Heynckes as coach

    A poor pass from Atiba Hutchinson went straight to Lewandowski, who burst past Vida and was tripped as he ran at goal with only goalkeeper Fabri to beat.

    Besiktas could still have snatched a priceless goal minutes later.

    That was when Vagner Love got past two Bayern defenders to give himself a clear shot on goal, but his effort was high and wide.

    Bayern then laid siege to Besiktas and Fabri denied them the opening goal with a superb one-handed save at point-blank range to turn away Mats Hummels’s header.

    Having survived another scare when Ricardo Quaresma burst down the right and forced Sven Ulreich to save at his near post, Bayern broke the deadlock two minutes before halftime.

    Coman got to the byline and crossed, Alaba touched it on and the ball fell to Mueller who turned, failed to make proper contact but poked it home.

    It was a typically scrappy effort from a player once described on the German Football Federation’s Twitter feed as having the elegance of a swan on ice skates.

    There was an air of inevitability about the second half as Bayern took complete control.

    Coman sidefooted in from Lewandowski’s pass in the 53rd minute before Mueller struck again in the 66th, this time sticking his leg out to divert Joshua Kimmich’s cross past Fabri.

    Lewandowski got in on the act by snapping up a rebound in the 79th minute, before Mueller set up the Pole’s second and Bayern’s fifth.

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  • Champions League: Bayern, Marriott dazzle fans

    Champions League: Bayern, Marriott dazzle fans

     

    Bayern Munich will offer fans a stunning new experience to watch the football match from a hotel suite after signing a

    multi-year partnership with Marriott International.

    The deal has seen Courtyard by Marriott become the official hotel partner for the Bundesliga champions and they will offer several once-in-a-lifetime football experiences to guests.

    The grand draw is the VIP match-day hospitality on offer. Fans will be able to stay in a modern, custom-built Courtyard by Marriott executive box at the Allianz Arena and watch the game from it.

    The suite offers a breathtaking view of the pitch with guests also having access to a Courtyard bar which serves crafted cocktails and elevated menu options. Certainly beats sitting in the turnstiles.

    It has not yet been announced how much this match-day experience will cost and when fans can book it.

    But to celebrate the launch of the partnership, Courtyard by Marriott are offering fans across Germany, France, and the UK the opportunity to win two VIP tickets to see Bayern take on rivals Borussia Dortmund on March 31.

    The winners will get exclusive access to match-day hospitality and a two-night stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Munich City Center hotel.

    As well as the amazing hotel suite, the partnership will offer supporters exclusive access to Bayern’s domestic and European matches.

    These experiences include a chance to travel with the team to a European away game, have post-match dinner with the team, tickets to the game, and an overnight stay in the Bayern hotel.

    After the deal with Marriott international was announced the Bayern chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, said he was delighted the club will now be able to offer fans these experiences.

    He said: ‘We are delighted for two leading brands such as Courtyard by Marriott and FC Bayern to be entering into a

    long-term partnership.

    ‘With Marriott International being the world’s largest hotel chain and FC Bayern one of the world’s most successful football clubs, I am convinced that this is a perfect match and very authentic partnership.

    ‘I am particularly pleased that our fans can also benefit from this partnership, with our new official hotel partner providing them with attractive offers for both home and away matches.’